Housing market endures sluggish start to the year as buyer and seller confidence dwindles February 13, 2019 The UK housing market has endured a slow start to the year as key activity measures for both buyers and sellers fell further in January. Enquiries, sales and new instructions all declined in January as uncertainty continues to wear away at confidence, according to research by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics). Read more: [...]
Huawei boss accuses US of launching coordinated smear campaign February 13, 2019 The rift between Huawei and western governments deepened today after a senior executive at the telecoms firm accused the US of mounting a smear campaign against it. Huawei chairman Eric Xu slammed US authorities for carrying out a “coordinated geopolitical campaign” against the telecoms firm in a bid to gain ground in its ongoing trade [...]
Future snaps up Cycling News and Procycling Magazine from Immediate Media February 13, 2019 Publishing firm Future has bought two specialist cycling titles from rival Immediate Media in a bid to cash in on the UK's cycling craze and bolster its special interest offering. The media firm today said it has acquired Procycling Magazine and Cyclingnews.com, the world’s largest cycling website, for an undisclosed amount. Read more: Vogue publisher [...]
Eat’s owners Horizon Capital mull sale amid strain on high street food outlets February 13, 2019 The owners of sandwich chain Eat are planning to sell the business as it battles with growing competition in the crowded high street food market. Private equity firm Horizon Capital, which owns a major stake in the company, has appointed corporate advisory firm Spayne Lindsay to oversee a potential sale. Read more: EU competition watchdog [...]
UK house price growth slows to lowest level since 2013 as uncertainty rattles market February 13, 2019 House price growth fell to its slowest pace in almost six years in December as uncertainty continues to weigh on the housing market. UK house prices rose just 2.5 per cent year-on-year, marking the slowest annual growth since July 2013, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Land Registry. [...]
Regulator rolls out new standards to protect children from gambling adverts February 13, 2019 The UK advertising regulator today unveiled a raft of new standards designed to protect children and young people from irresponsible gambling adverts. The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), which writes the rules for advertising in the UK, has rolled out a series of measures to ensure gambling brands do not target children in their campaigns. [...]
IAB urges ‘clickhead’ advertisers to review their strategy for measuring campaigns February 12, 2019 The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today called on brands to stop using click-through-rates to measure the effectiveness of online adverts. In a light-hearted letter to hundreds of advertisers, the IAB called out brands for becoming “clickheads” by relying too heavily on so-called vanity metrics. Read more: Legal complaint shows Google's use of 'intimate' data for [...]
BT appoints media veteran Allison Kirkby to board amid turnaround plan February 12, 2019 BT has appointed veteran telecoms and media executive Allison Kirkby to its board as it looks to transform its recent run of bad fortune. Kirkby, who is currently president and chief executive of Danish telecoms giant TDC Group, will join BT as a non-executive director from 15 March. Read more: Gavin Patterson reveals major regret [...]
TAG launches scheme to protect brands’ advertising amid crackdown on pirate sites February 12, 2019 The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) today launched a new initiative to help protect brands from appearing on websites that post pirated material. As part of the scheme, known as ‘Project Brand Integrity’, the industry body will monitor adverts and alert brands if their campaigns are running on pirate sites. Read more: Government calls for probe [...]
Renault and Nissan executives to meet as Ghosn scandal shakes car manufacturer alliance February 12, 2019 Executives from car manufacturers Nissan and Renault will meet to discuss the future of their alliance amid the scandal surrounding former chairman Carlos Ghosn, the Japanese firm has said. Renault’s newly-appointed chairman, Jean-Dominique Senard, will meet Nissan chief executive Hiroto Saikawa in Yokohama this week in a bid to secure the ties between the two [...]