CBI hires new office in the City after 30 years in the West End December 9, 2013 THE CONFEDERATION of British Industry (CBI) today revealed it is moving to the City in the New Year, a major symbolic move reflecting the important of financial services in the capital. The leading business lobby group has been based in Centre Point in the West End for more than 30 years, making its move east [...]
Urenco stake sell-off plan stalls again December 9, 2013 THE GOVERNMENT’S plan to sell off its stake in nuclear business Urenco has stalled for a second time, after an MP in the Dutch parliament said she could see no reason for the sale. The UK government owns a third stake in the uranium enrichment business, with another third owned by the Dutch and the [...]
Bali agreement on world trade boosts British firms December 9, 2013 PRIME minister David Cameron has hailed a “historic” world trade agreement, which will boost the UK economy by more than £1bn a year. The deal, struck at the World Trade Organisation talks in Bali, will reduce red tape and make it easier for businesses to trade across borders. “This deal will help boost our exports, [...]
UK’s firms brimming with confidence as 2013 comes to an end December 9, 2013 BUSINESS confidence is at a three-and-a-half year peak in the UK, as a new survey reveals firms’ rosy outlook for the first half of 2014. BDO’s latest business trends report, released today, shows that after two quarters of solid economic growth, companies are still becoming more optimistic for the year ahead. The firm’s optimism index [...]
Firms cut out Eurozone’s banks when looking for debt finance December 9, 2013 MARKETS still do not trust Europe’s banks, leaving them with higher funding costs than the banks they want to service, the bank of International Settlements (BIS) said yesterday. Banks must pay an average of more than three per cent, while an A-rated company can pay below two per cent for an equivalent loan and a [...]
Central bankers ring low rate warning bell December 9, 2013 BUSINESSES and investors should be cautious in issuing junk bonds which are repaid in kind, central bankers group the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) said yesterday. The sustained low-rate era may have given financial markets an excessive sense of security, the report said, warning a rate hike could spell trouble in the sector. BIS is [...]
Bronze for UK in ranks of trade-friendly countries December 9, 2013 THE BRITISH tax system is one of the most well-equipped in the world to benefit from further trade and globalisation, coming joint third in the ranks of 27 countries’ systems. In UHY’s list of countries most prepared to capitalise from a boost to international trade, the UK is positioned behind only Slovakia and Germany, alongside [...]
Saga poaches Domino’s Pizza boss Batchelor December 9, 2013 PRIVATE equity-backed insurer Saga yesterday named Domino’s Pizza boss Lance Batchelor as its new chief executive. Batchelor, a former Royal Navy submarine officer and Domino’s chief executive since December 2011, will leave the fast food chain in April to join Saga, almost four years after he first joined Domino’s as a non-executive director. Batchelor’s departure [...]
Advisers December 9, 2013 NIGEL FOX CAPITAL REAL ESTATE PARTNERS CAPITAL Real Estate Partners was brought in alongside Rothschild to advise London Bridge Holdings on the sale of More London. Leading the team on behalf of Capital Real Estate was Nigel Fox, who co-founded the niche London agency in January 2010 after more than two decades working in central [...]
Labour would include pension in welfare cap December 9, 2013 LABOUR would include the state pension in a welfare cap, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie has said. Speaking on the BBC’s Daily Politics show yesterday, Leslie said that pensions should be considered part of the cap in the long term as people continue to live longer. His comments come just days [...]
