By: Harriet Green

I am City A.M.'s deputy business features editor. I look after the Entrepreneurs page, Alternative Finance and our Office Politics section. I also help out with the Forum, running our daily debate. I have a special interest in distributed ledger technology. Prior to working at City A.M., I ran a social enterprise.

Serco saga continues with promise to clean up for prison and custody services

September 11, 2013

Serco's response to a government-wide review of its prison and custody services has today been updated. (Release) The review, announced in July and initiated by an independent audit by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), alleged fraud in government-contracted services provided by Serco and G4S: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Directors of [...]
Before the open: Spotlight on UK unemployment as markets open

September 11, 2013

There is a keen focus on UK unemployment this morning following the Bank of England's introduction of an unemployment threshold for interest rates. Earlier this month the Bank announced its decision to fix interest rates at 0.5 per cent until unemployment, which is currently at 7.8 per cent, falls to seven per cent. Asian markets [...]
Better weather means B&Q owner sees profit up in second quarter

September 11, 2013

Retail group Kingfisher, who own companies including B&Q and Screwfix, have seen a statory pre-tax profit increase of 10.2 per cent in the 26 weeks up to 3 August (up £401m from £364m for the same period last year) (Release). CEO Ian Cheshire puts the increase down to better weather, commenting on the effect of [...]
Any Other Business – 11/09

September 10, 2013

BT chief executive Ian Livingston served his last day at the telecoms giant yesterday, though he won’t be hanging up on the company just yet. The Capitalist hears that the Caledonian chief will be on hand to advise Gavin Patterson, his replacement in the hot seat, until November. Lord Livingston will no doubt continue to [...]
£459m deal for high voltage transmission link to London Array secured by favoured consortium

September 10, 2013

The consortium Blue Transmission London Array – comprising Barclays infrastructure Funds Management and a UK subsidy of Mitsubishi Corporation – has been named by Ofgem as the owners and operators of the new £459m high voltage link to the London Array offshore wind farm, after a sell off by the London Array joint venture. We [...]
UK slides 4 places in World Happiness Report

September 10, 2013

This year's World Happiness Report has ranked the UK 22nd in 2012 out of 156 nations studied, a fall from 18th place in 2011. Published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the study presents the widest body of data available on happiness and its causes. Denmark took first place, as with last [...]
Polymer in your pocket?

September 10, 2013

The Bank of England has announced a public consultation programme on new banknotes: a switch from cotton to polymer. Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Charles Bean, said : Polymer banknotes are cleaner, more secure and more durable than paper notes. They are also cheaper and more environmentally friendly. However, the Bank of [...]
Gross new lending hits record high as Help to Buy kicks in

September 10, 2013

Figures published today by the Bank of England (BoE) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) show new high for gross new lending and interest rates on gross new lending for the second quarter, since the start of the series in 2007. Mortgage lenders and administrator statistics show record levels; at 1.6 percentage points higher than [...]
Italy left behind as second quarter contraction exceeds estimates

September 10, 2013

Revisions to Italian GDP have seen the economy shrink faster than expected, decreasing by 0.3 per cent in the second quarter. Italy is continuing to feel the effects of a two-year long recession, now lasting eight quarters. Analysts expected no change from the flash estimate put out on the 6th August which predicted a 0.2 per [...]
Surprise contraction for French industrial output in July

September 10, 2013

Disappointing figures from France this morning as industrial output shrinks from July. Analysts have been hoping for the sector to return to growth. A decrease of -0.6 per cent from July's figure of -1.4 per cent failed to hit market predictions of a 0.6 per cent increase. July saw a significant slump in the [...]

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