Rolls-Royce share price dives following profit warning October 17, 2014 Rolls-Royce Holdings share price fell this morning after warning that its underlying revenue may be 3.5 to four per cent lower in 2014 compared to last year, on the back of worsening economic conditions and tightening Russian trade sanctions. The British engine maker said leading customers had cancelled orders particularly in the Nuclear & Energy [...]
Has the time come to privatise pensions? October 16, 2014 Future generations could be short-changed and the public finances put in jeopardy unless the UK takes serious measures to reform the state pension system, according to a report released today by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) One way to give pensioners and taxpayers a better to deal would be to revive savers' ability to [...]
European stocks drop as fears over global slowdown gather pace October 16, 2014 European markets are taking a beating with fears over the global recovery and impact of the Ebola crisis hitting investor confidence. The FTSE 100 dropped 1.6 per cent, with France's CAC taking an even bigger hit shedding almost two per cent. Germany's DAX has lost 1.3 per cent. Anxiety over the health of the Eurozone [...]
Labour plans to double number of first-time buyers October 16, 2014 The Labour party will set out plans to give first-time buyers top priority by handing more powers to local communities in England for new house building. The party will pledge to double the number of first-time buyers over the next 10 years should it be returned to office. Furthermore, Labour wants 200,0000 homes a year [...]
WH Smith announces trial for standalone greeting cards stores as profits climbs October 16, 2014 WH Smith has achieved a pre-tax profit of £112m for the year ended 31 August, up nine per cent from the previous year. The FTSE 250 company which boasts 1,300 stores nation-wide also saw a total ordinary dividend per share of 35p, a 14 per cent increase on the previous year. Stephen Clarke, group chief [...]
Gates is picky but still praises Piketty October 15, 2014 MICROSOFT founder Bill Gates has drawn attention to what he considers some “important flaws” in Thomas Piketty’s best-selling book, Capital in the 21st Century. In a review of the French economist’s controversial book on his blog, Gates said while he agreed with several points the author had raised, he emphasised that Piketty was wrong to [...]
Bill Gates: Thomas Piketty “does not give a full picture of how wealth is created” October 15, 2014 One of the world's richest men has given his analysis on the best-selling treatise on equality, Capital in the 21st Century, written by French economist Thomas Piketty. Billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates said in a blog post that he agreed with several points highlighted in the controversial book. Among these were that high levels of inequality [...]
Trafalgar and Parliament squares smoking ban to cost £6.5m October 15, 2014 London's 1.2m smokers could face new restrictions on where they can light up if the mayor Boris Johnson decides to implement a report from London's Health Commission (LHC). Smoking could be banned in London's parks, Trafalgar and Parliament squares. The proposals will certainly be controversial in a city where 18 per cent of the population [...]
Inheritance tax cut: Tories signal rise in threshold to £1m next year October 15, 2014 David Cameron has hinted the Tories will stop anyone but the super rich paying inheritance tax sooner than had been expected. The Prime Minister told a charity conference in London that people who did not fell "in any way mega-rich" were being hit by the tax. The Tory pledge to raise the inheritance tax threshold [...]
Slashing Brussels red tape could save €41bn October 14, 2014 A group charged with cutting EU red tape has recommended small businesses be exempted "wherever possible" from burdensome regulation. The group claims the measures could save €41bn per year. The exemptions would apply primarily to laws concerning health and safety and social policy. The 15-member group on Administrative Burdens' report is non-binding but was unveiled [...]
