Brent crude oil edges towards $50 per barrel as gold price takes a breather July 28, 2015 Brent crude continued to edge down today, falling another 1.68 per cent in mid afternoon trading to $52.57 per barrel, its lowest price since January. Meanwhile, WTI crude, the US benchmark, stayed well below the $50 mark, at $47.40. The drop came as commodities prices continued to take a hammering: in recent weeks, precious metals [...]
Rate hikes ahoy or time to batten down the hatches? What eight analysts think of today’s UK GDP figures July 28, 2015 It's official: UK GDP grew 0.7 per cent during the second quarter, meaning the UK has now had 10 consecutive quarters of growth. But is it all good news? And what does it mean for the future of interest rates, which Bank of England governor Mark Carney has strongly hinted will begin to rise "around [...]
Those Paolozzi mosaics from Tottenham Court Road station are being moved to Edinburgh July 28, 2015 When the first part of the new-look Tottenham Court Road station opened at the end of last year, one thing was conspicuous by its absence: the raft of mosaics by post-war sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi, installed at the station in 1984. Since then, passengers have complained vociferously about the absence of the brightly-coloured mosaics, which appear [...]
Lord Sewel bows to pressure and quits House of Lords amid sex and drugs allegations July 28, 2015 Lord Sewel of Gilcomstoun has bowed to pressure and stepped down from the House of Lords after allegedly taking cocaine with a pair of £200-a-night sex workers at his apartment in Dolphin Square, in Pimlico. In an expose by the Sun on Sunday this weekend, the paper alleged it had filmed him reclining and smoking [...]
How a City property favourite is helping surfing become an Olympic sport July 27, 2015 It's not often one of the world's largest real estate consultancies can legitimately say it's had a hand in creating an Olympic sport – but Colliers International could be about to, after it advised on the feasibility and sustainability of a "Wavegarden" surf lagoon, part of the International Surf Association's (ISA) attempt at becoming an [...]
London house prices: The north-south divide emerging in the capital’s property sector July 27, 2015 One interesting factor in new figures published today (more on that here) is a sign growth in house prices is slowing in parts of London. In fact, it looks like there's a north-south divide emerging – and in this case it's grim down south. The figures, by Haart estate agent, showed while prices across the [...]
More delays? Network Rail submits planning application for a year of construction works at Waterloo Station July 27, 2015 Regular travelers to Waterloo Station should brace themselves: Network Rail has just submitted its first planning application for upgrade works. If it's approved, the works will go on for a year from November. Read more: How new train delay compensation rules will confuse commuters even more The works will include upgrades to the area around the [...]
The ultimate irony? Railway engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s body could be dug up thanks to HS2 July 27, 2015 He was the man who single-handedly oversaw the construction of the Great Western Railway. But now another rail line – the much-maligned HS2 – could mean the body of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel is dug up. Despite his affinity with the South West, Brunel was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery after he died aged 53 [...]
UK house prices: The average cost of a home for first-time buyers increased £138 a day in June July 27, 2015 Despite all George Osborne's efforts, it looks like first-time buyers are bearing the brunt of the increase in house prices again, after new figures showed the average price of a first-time buyer home leaped by £4,150 in June. That's £138 a day. Read more: Thinking of leaving London? These are the best commuter towns to move [...]
Financial workers feel under pressure to compromise ethical standards July 24, 2015 A third of those in the finance sector feel under pressure from their employers to compromise their ethics, a report by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (Cima) has suggested. That's quite a rise on last year's 18 per cent. Of those who felt under pressure to compromise, 20 per cent said the most pressure [...]
