Romania’s first bitcoin exchange BTCXchange closes a month after being put up for sale September 14, 2016 The first order-book bitcoin exchange to launch in Romania shut down its operations this week, almost a month after it was first put up for sale. BTCXchange closed on Monday after failing to find a buyer, local news group Bihon reported, after being put up for sale on 18 August. However, the cause of the [...]
The emperor’s new H2Os: Bottled water will offset slowdown in other areas of Europe’s food and beverage industry, according to Moody’s September 14, 2016 Move over fizzy drinks, there's a new favourite beverage in town – and it's a classic. Fast-growing demand for bottled water will help Europe's food and beverage firms to offset declining growth in sugary drinks sales and other areas, according to a report from Moody's Investors Service. Nestle, Danone and Coca-Cola are some of the [...]
E-cigarettes: British Medical Journal study links vaping to quitting smoking September 14, 2016 The vaping community has been given another boost after a study published by the prestigious British Medical Journal has said the growth of e-cigarettes in England has been associated with a higher rate of successful attempts to quit smoking. Last year, e-cigarettes may have resulted in around 18,000 people becoming long-term tobacco quitters. "Although these numbers [...]
Just Eat delivers new chatbot “coach” to advise customers on takeaways September 14, 2016 Takeaway giant Just Eat will launch a Facebook Messenger chatbot food "coach" as part of an ambitious, tech-focused rebrand in which it is attempting to create "the world's greatest food community". Just Eat's chatbot will be on hand to customers to "bring food discovery to life by engaging with customers to coach and inspire their food choices", the company announced [...]
Tick, tock: Cartier and Montblanc owner Richemont forecasts 45 per cent profit drop as luxury watch demand falls September 14, 2016 Shares in Richemont, the owner of luxury brands such as Cartier and Montblanc, fell this morning as the company forecast a 45 per cent drop in first-half operating profit on the back of a sales slump and lower demand for watches. The figures In a trading update this morning, the Swiss luxury goods retailer said total sales had fallen 14 [...]
The Shard honoured among UK landmarks in mass biscuit sculpture by Macmillan Cancer Support September 13, 2016 It might be hard, but you need to stop yourself from nibbling on the skyline. Not the UK's actual skyline of course. Ahead of its World’s Biggest Coffee Morning event on 30 September, Macmillan Cancer Support has gone all Bake-Off on us and recreated the UK’s skyline using 25,000 biscuits in an 80-foot sculpture. What a kooky [...]
Plastic money review: Our verdict on the Bank of England’s new polymer £5 note September 13, 2016 Unless you've been sleeping under a rock, you'll be aware that a minor revolution in Britain's banking sector occurred today with the launch of the new polymer £5 note. But how does it really fare in practice, and will the new £5 notes last the lifestyle of a City gentleman (or gentlewoman)? The Capitalist has [...]
Britain’s Got Talent online games maker Gaming Realm’s share price rises as company posts 109 per cent revenue uptick September 13, 2016 Gambling games publisher Gaming Realms has won out with triple-figure turnover in the first half of the year, though an increased marketing budget ate into its earnings. The figures Revenue at the Slingo.com and Britain's Got Talent online games maker grew by 109 per cent to £16.6m in the six months to 30 June, up from £8m in the same [...]
Goals Soccer Centres scores own goal as sales dip in first half September 13, 2016 Five-a-side football company Goals Soccer Centres missed the net in the first half as like-for-like sales slid, though the group insists its recovery is well underway. The figures Like-for-like sales at Goals fell two per cent to £17m in the six months to 30 June, which the company attributed to implementing its long-term improvement plan. [...]
Rosé wine: Move over red, white and sparkling – this summer belonged to pink booze September 13, 2016 Sparkling wine has been stealing the show in the UK's drinks scene as the new high-flier, but rosé wine has been the true winner of this summer's heatwave as sales of the pink stuff doubled. Marks and Spencer has reported a 100 per cent increase in its sales of English-produced rosé offerings, with its Chapel Down [...]
