Who is Carolyn Fairbairn? Meet the first female director-general of the CBI June 29, 2015 The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has appointed Carolyn Fairbairn, a former director of strategy at both the BBC and ITV, as its first female director-general. Fairbairn will take the reins of Britain’s biggest business group from John Cridland later this year, the CBI announced yesterday. Cridland has led the CBI since 2011. [...]
Consumer confidence reaches its highest level since the 1990s June 29, 2015 CONFIDENCE among UK shoppers has climbed to a 16-year high, a new survey shows. The consumer confidence index, published today by market researchers GFK on behalf of the European Commission, climbed to a score of seven in June from one in May. It was as low as minus 38 during the worst months of the [...]
Chinese stocks plummet amid valuation fears June 29, 2015 China’s equity bubble edged closer to bursting yesterday, as stocks plummeted despite the best efforts of the country’s central bank to steady the market. The benchmark Shanghai Composite index closed 3.3 per cent lower to 4,053 and the Shenzhen Composite fell 6.1 per cent, amid mounting concerns that stocks are overvalued. The Shanghai Composite was [...]
Calls to boost Single Market June 29, 2015 A LEADING UK business group is calling on EU member states to strengthen the Single Market while adopting an agenda focused on boosting competitiveness. The group will today make 25 distinct policy proposals to deepen the Single Market. The CityUK said the proposals are “practical and achievable” at a time when David Cameron is seeking [...]
Leasing activity in London office market heats up to 17-year high June 29, 2015 LEASING activity in the London office market hit 6.3m square feet in the first half of 2015 – the highest level in 17 years – fuelled by pent up demand on the back of the General Election and firms moving east. Property advisory firm Cushman & Wakefield said lettings in the second quarter reached 3.3m [...]
Sainsbury’s Bank shops for new non-exec: Michael Ross takes on digital strategy June 29, 2015 Sainsbury’s Bank has gone shopping in the lingerie department for a new non-executive director and appointed the former chief executive of Figleaves.com to the board. Michael Ross will join with immediate effect and help develop its banking arm’s digital and data strategies, the retailer said yesterday. Ross founded the online lingerie retailer Figleaves in the [...]
Convenience retailers spend £177m on shops June 29, 2015 Convenience retailers spent £177m refurbishing their stores in the three months to May amid increased competition from their peers, coffee shops and food chains all vying for a bigger share of the food-to-go market. Britain’s booming convenience market is now worth over £37bn and consists of 50,000 stores – of which less than 2,500 are [...]
Britvic extends Robinsons Wimbledon tie-up June 29, 2015 BRITVIC said yesterday it has signed a deal to extend Robinsons Squash’s sponsorship of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships for another five years. The company first teamed up with the tennis championship in 1935 when Robinsons Lemon Barley Water was created in the changing rooms. It claims the tie-up is now the second-longest sports partnership in [...]
UK Oil & Gas share price drops as firm strikes farm-in deal with Edgon Resources June 29, 2015 Shares in UK Oil & Gas Investments (UKOG) tumbled yesterday after the firm announced it has increased its interest in the Weald Basin, where the so-called Gatwick Gusher is located, through a farm-in agreement with Egdon Resources. UKOG has bought a 20 per cent interest in an onshore licence located to the immediate west of [...]
Profits shaken at James Bond whisky-maker June 29, 2015 EDRINGTON, the maker of The Macallan whisky drunk by James Bond in Skyfall, posted a 9.4 per cent fall in profits to £157.6m last year after taking a write-down on its Brugal rum brand.
