Three opportunities for investors in 2013 February 21, 2013 THE prospects for the US economy, slower growth in China, and European summits all weighed on the minds of investors in 2012. And this led many to seek shelter in safe havens, like cash. But now “investment austerity” is set to characterise the investing landscape in 2013. The new normal – low yields, greater correlation [...]
The hawk and the dove give their verdict February 21, 2013 Confusing Bank policy is failing to contain persistently high inflation MONETARY policy in the UK is becoming increasingly confusing. When the Bank of England assumed responsibility for setting interest rates in 1997, it was given a clear objective – keeping inflation on target at a low target level (retail price index, excluding mortgage interest payments [...]
Sorry savers: More easing is still needed to support UK recovery February 21, 2013 THE Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) minutes of its meeting on 20 February make some very interesting reading. They suggest that the Committee is ready to adopt a more flexible approach to policy-making. And of particular interest is that, for an unprecedented fifth time, governor of the Bank of England Sir Mervyn King voted in the [...]
Taxing poor less won’t make them back hikes for rest February 21, 2013 ONE of the best ways to ease the tax burden on low earners is to increase the personal allowance, the amount you can earn before you start paying income tax. Letting people keep more of their own money is far better than taking it away in tax and giving it back in benefits. Fiscal churn [...]
Letters to the Editor February 21, 2013 Reform for growth [Re: Time to take drastic action to reboot Britain’s feeble economy, yesterday] Cutting corporation tax and capital gains tax will undoubtedly increase the incentive for risk-taking and investment, both prerequisites for growth. But other fundamental problems will remain. First, government spending is currently unaffordable. The required money cannot be raised from taxation [...]
Hot in the kitchen: the top gadgets February 21, 2013 Panasonic Automatic Breadmaker This is the Rolls-Royce of bread-makers. It comes with a diamond-tipped kneading blade and non stick surface that will create delicious loaves from scratch. £119.99, currys.co.uk DeLonghi Icona 310.R This espresso-maker not only looks great in your kitchen (especially in fire-engine red), it also makes a knockout espresso. It is simple to [...]
We quiz BlackBerry designer Todd Wood on the new range of phones February 21, 2013 BLACKBERRY UNVEILED its two latest models earlier this month. We spoke to the man behind the new design about the new features and how he dealt with the pressure and expectations. HOW DO YOU KEEP THE BLACKBERRY IDENTITY WHILE PUSHING THE DESIGN? That is the challenge. We have this great base of customers who love [...]
The top shows from fashion week February 21, 2013 While New York was a muted affair, British brands embraced colour and everyday decadence in a big way L ONDON FASHION Week is a third of a century old and this season: it showed. There was a maturity and a sense of optimism, both in the way the clothes were presented and in the collections [...]
