We have lift-off: Nasa launches its Orion Mars spacecraft on its second attempt December 5, 2014 Nasa launched the first test flight of its Orion spacecraft, which could one day carry humans to Mars, on its second attempt today, after yesterday's go failed when the wind was deemed too gusty. The test flight will allow Nasa to try out its first crew capsule to be built by the US space agency [...]
Charts showing why the Bundesbank had to halve Germany’s growth forecast December 5, 2014 Germany's central bank shocked economists today by cutting its forecast for growth in 2015 to one per cent. It also cut growth expectations from 1.9 per cent to 1.4 per cent this year, while growth in 2016 is now expected to hit 1.8 per cent, down from two per cent. It had been hoped that [...]
Quindell share price leaps as it issues its final 100,000 shares December 5, 2014 Shares in troubled insurance claims processor Quindell bounced by more than six per cent to more than 55p in early trading as it listed its final tranche of 101,586 ordinary shares. In a statement to the stock market today, the company said the shares will be admitted to trading on the small-cap Aim market on [...]
January’s rail fare rise will be the lowest in five years, says Rail Delivery Group December 5, 2014 A bit of good news on this dreary December day. The rail regulator has confirmed that fares will rise by just 2.2 per cent in January, the lowest rise in five years. In recent years beleaguered commuters have had to endure rises as high as eight per cent, but today rail industry body the Rail [...]
Qatar ups its offer for Canary Wharf owner Songbird Estates December 4, 2014 The Qatari sovereign wealth fund has upped its bid for Canary Wharf to 350p per share, after its earlier £2.2bn bid for Songbird Estates, its parent company, was rejected. A joint venture between the Qatar Investment Authority and Brookfield Property Partners originally tabled a bid of 295p per share for Songbird in November, valuing it [...]
ECB cuts European growth forecasts December 4, 2014 The European Central Bank (ECB) has slashed its forecasts for European growth, saying it now expects GDP in the region to rise by just one per cent next year, down from 1.6 per cent. It also cut forecasts for this year to 0.8 per cent, from 0.9 per cent, while growth in 2016 will hit [...]
Conservative MP Mark Pritchard arrested on suspicion of rape December 4, 2014 Conservative MP Mark Pritchard has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of rape. The Metropolitan Police confirmed today that a 48-year-old man had voluntarily attended a north London police station on Tuesday, where he was arrested, following an allegation of rape in central London. "He has been bailed to a date in [...]
Aberdeen Asset Management chief executive Martin Gilbert cashes in December 4, 2014 Aberdeen Asset Management executive directors including chief executive Martin Gilbert and deputy chief executive Andrew Laing have cashed in on the company's highest share price in six months by selling off just over three million shares. Gilbert's sale of 1.3m shares at 461p netted him just over £6m, although he still holds £24m of shares. [...]
This time last year Foxtons was an investor favourite – what happened? December 4, 2014 It was just over a year ago that London estate agent Foxtons became the darling of the London Stock Exchange with a stonkingly successful IPO. Having floated at 230p, valuing it at £649m, shares in the company rose sharply to a peak of 285.5p in its first day of trading. By the end of February, [...]
Ofgem slaps “unacceptable” British Gas with £11.1m penalty December 4, 2014 British Gas has been penalised to the tune of £11.1m by Ofgem after it failed to meet energy efficiency targets, the regulator said today. Ofgem said British Gas had not reached targets on insulating homes under two efficiency schemes that ran until 2012. It delivered on 62.4 per cent of its Community Energy Savings Programme [...]
