Public sector borrowing: Government finances show a July surplus for the first time since 2012 – these five charts show the state the UK’s finances are in August 21, 2015 Figures published this morning showed the government's finances moved into surplus for the first July since 2012, with public sector net borrowing showing a surplus of just under £1.3bn, a fall in borrowing of £1.4bn compared with the same period last year. That's partly down to tax receipts, which rose to £7.8bn in July, £1.2bn [...]
Birthdays off, team lunches and free gym membership: Here’s how to be the perfect boss August 21, 2015 Thought being a good boss was about good communication and nurturing talent? Put away those management books, people. It turns out your team is far more fickle than that… That's according to research by gambling review site Mobileslots.com, which quizzed a group of office workers about the attributes of their dream boss – and discovered [...]
Unlimited upsides? Check. Too big to fail? Check. History tells us careful investors could be about to make millions in China August 21, 2015 The Chinese government could be forgiven if it now feels rather pleased with itself. After interventions including banning negative reporting on markets, threatening to prosecute short-sellers, and ordering companies to engage in share buybacks, it has succeeded in arresting a stock market crash – albeit with a few bumps along the way. Not many governments [...]
Why we are still only building half the homes we need? August 20, 2015 Today’s release of the latest figures for homebuilding by the Department for Communities and Local Government make for interesting reading for all those interested in ending our nation’s housing crisis. Read more: The number of new homes being built has actually fallen Ultimately, they are a mixed bag. On a positive note, housing [...]
UK house prices: The number of new houses being built has actually fallen August 20, 2015 Given we're in the midst of a housing crisis, and the government has made all manner of promises to increase the number of homes being built, this is hardly encouraging: new figures have shown the number of new housing starts actually fell to 33,280 in the second quarter, six per cent lower than the same [...]
UK retail sales rise 0.4 per cent in July as summer sales entice shoppers August 20, 2015 UK retail sales rose 0.4 per cent in July, official data showed today – suggesting summer sales did the trick, enticing consumers to the high street. The figure – which strips out fuel sales – was an impressive turnaround from a 0.3 per cent fall in June. Including petrol, the figure showed a drop of [...]
It’s official: Dining at your desk or on the move makes you gain weight August 20, 2015 We all know we should get outside for some fresh air at lunchtime – but it turns out missing out on exercise isn't the only reason eating "al desko" makes you gain weight. A new study, by scientists at Surrey University, has found if you're focusing on something other than your meal – by, for [...]
Dennis Publishing to launch free fitness magazine Coach August 20, 2015 Dennis Publishing, the company behind Men's Fitness, Viz, and This Week, is set to make its biggest gamble in years with a multi-million pound investment in a free, weekly health and fitness magazine, called Coach. Coach will cover a broad content mix of technology, careers, fashion and modern living, as well as health and [...]
Sir Howard Davies defends Airports Commission recommendation against Gatwick criticism August 19, 2015 Sir Howard Davies has hit back against criticism of his conclusion that Heathrow should build a third runway by Gatwick chief Stewart Wingate. In a statement today by Airports Commission chair Davies, who was the subject of a 50-page catalogue of criticisms published by Gatwick yesterday, Davies gave a withering response. "This dossier appears to [...]
Radiation exposure, loneliness and strained relationships with your kids: Here’s the darker side of frequent business travel August 19, 2015 Business travel might traditionally be depicted as a blur of champagne-quaffing in various business lounges. But it turns out there's a dark side: a new study has suggested that frequent business travellers are a sickly, lonely bunch. And don't even get us started on their children… Read more: Five ways to make business travel easier The [...]
