Bah, humbug: A quarter of businesses are ditching plans for a Christmas party this year December 3, 2015 It seems the corporate world is suffering from a lack of festive cheer this year, after new research showed a quarter of businesses are planning on ditching their Christmas party. The survey, by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), found 25 per cent of organisations won't throw a party. That sort of behaviour was [...]
Christmas comes early for drivers: Diesel drops to its lowest price in six years in November, as petrol continues to fall December 3, 2015 If you're planning on driving long distances this Christmas, at least it'll be cheaper this year, after data suggested diesel fell to its lowest price since February 2009 in November. The RAC said this morning that the average pump price for diesel fell to 109.48p per litre at the end of November, down from 109.77p [...]
AB Inbev confirms plans to sell part of SABMiller’s business, aka Peroni, Grolsch – and UK craft brewer Meantime December 3, 2015 Soon to be wed, AB Inbev and SABMiller have confirmed they're looking at ways of appeasing their parents, ie. competition regulators, by exploring the sale of three of SAB's biggest European brands. Yep: as has been rumoured in the past few days, Peroni and Grolsch may be put up for sale, the pair said in statements today – [...]
Less than 10 per cent of savings providers are offering the Help to Buy Isa – with just 12 on board so far December 2, 2015 The Help to Buy Isa launched without much ceremony yesterday – so no wonder the number of savings providers offering the scheme, which provides a government bonus for first-time buyers, is being seen as a bit of a let-down. Research from Savings Champion suggests just 12 lenders have so far go on board with the government scheme, [...]
Government housing minister Brandon Lewis has admitted defeat in the face of the housing crisis: Generation Rent can’t make a “judgement call” about where they live December 2, 2015 The government has admitted defeat in the face of the London housing crisis. At least, that was the conclusion I drew yesterday when the housing minister told people hoping to stay in London to make “a judgement call about what you can afford and where is right for you”. By being “up front about the [...]
These are the 13 bridges and tunnels to cross the Thames Boris Johnson wants to build by 2050 December 2, 2015 The number of ways to cross the Thames is set to increase by a third by 2050, a new report suggested today, with the number of pedestrian and cyclist crossings to increase by 50 per cent. From the Diamond Jubilee bridge linking Fulham and Battersea to the Lower Thames Crossing, which will link Essex and Kent, Londoners [...]
Here’s how much you have to invest to pay for Christmas with dividends December 2, 2015 Ever wondered how much you need to invest to pay for Christmas out of your dividends? Nope, us neither – but now the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has answered the question no one was asking. According to the AIC, an investment pot of £5,000 yielding three per cent would produce £37.50 per quarter, or £150 [...]
Cebr: Average household savings to increase by £11,700 to £58,000 by 2025 – but here’s why you won’t benefit for 10 years after an interest rate hike December 2, 2015 Household savings are set to grow by £500bn to £1.8 trillion by 2025, according to new research by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (Cebr) and RCI Bank, with the average savings pot increasing by £11,700 in £58,700 in real terms, up from £47,000 now. That'll be pushed up by rising interest rates on [...]
Volkswagen US sales plummet 25 per cent in November December 1, 2015 A sign of things to come for troubled car manufacturer Volkswagen? The company's US sales fell 24.7 per cent in November, compared with the year before – with sales of the Golf falling 64 per cent. The company shipped 23,882 units in November, down from 31,725 during the same month last year. In the year [...]
US manufacturing contracts for the first time since 2012 – has it just scuppered Janet Yellen’s plans for an interest rate hike? December 1, 2015 Unnerving times for Fed-watchers, after figures published today showed US manufacturing contracted in November for the first time since 2012. The Institute for Supply Management's New Orders Index registered a score of 48.9 per cent in November, four percentage points lower than November's 52.9 per cent – and its weakest since June 2009. For those nervously [...]
