Any Other Business – 03/04 April 3, 2014 IF YOU’VE got stacks of £50 notes hidden under your floorboards at home, take heed of the Bank of England’s latest hashtag. The bank’s social media whizzes have been spreading the word about the end of the Houblon £50 note this month using #DonthoardyourHoublons in its tweets. John Houblon of course was the first ever governor [...]
France names Sapin as finance minister April 2, 2014 Michel Sapin has been made finance minister of France, while industry minister Arnaud Montegbourg was given the new title of economy minister with oversight over industry and the digital economy. Sapin is an ally of embattled French President Francois Hollande and has previously served as a finance minister in the 1990s and labour minister. Sapin [...]
Domino’s sales jump as e-commerce continues to grow April 2, 2014 Pizza delivery group Domino's has seen its like-for-like sales rise by 10.8 per cent. System sales rose by 14.8 per cent to £188.5m for the 13 week period to 30 March, according to the company's interim management statement. The company attributed the rise in part to its most successful meal deal ever offered – the [...]
What you need to know before the open April 2, 2014 European markets are set to open up this morning after positive data from the US. Corporate data House prices in March grew by 0.4 per cent, slower rate then previous months, according to the Nationwide building society. House prices are now 9.5 per cent higher than they were at the same point last year. Fashion [...]
Average London house price hits £362,000 April 2, 2014 House prices in March grew by 0.4 per cent, a slower rate than in previous months, according to the Nationwide building society. House prices are now 9.5 per cent higher than they were at the same point last year. London house prices are up 18 per cent compared to March 2013. However, Nationwide said "there are [...]
Any Other Business – 02/04 April 2, 2014 FOLLOWING more than two years of slapping banks on the wrist as the media officer of the Treasury Committee and the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards, James Abbott is off to work for one. He starts his new role as group media relations officer at RBS tomorrow, having finished in parliament yesterday. Good job RBS [...]
How the EU’s relaxing of visa rules could bring €130bn of gains April 1, 2014 The European Commission has proposed a host of measures to liberalise visa rules for non-EU nationals that could lead to €130bn in direct spending and 1.3m jobs over the next five years. The Commission believes its package of reforms will boost tourism and bring researchers, students, artists and other professionals to European shores. Demand for [...]
Government hits back over Royal Mail privatisation April 1, 2014 The government has defended the way in which Royal Mail was privatised last year. Ministers have taken to the airwaves after the National Audit Office (NAO) published a report concluding that the government undervalued Royal Mail at the expense of the taxpayer. Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said: The department was very keen to [...]
ICAP revenue falls as market activity slows April 1, 2014 UK broker ICAP has announced a fall in revenue for February and March of 14 per cent. Despite the fall in revenue the company believes it will achieve results in line with market expectations, which range from £266m to £280m. The consensus is £273m. ICAP saw declines in overall trading activity levels in the Global [...]
What you need to know before the open April 1, 2014 European markets are expected to make a positive start to the day, with investors hopeful of US and Chinese stimulus to counter economic slowdown. Corporate data UK broker ICAP has announced a fall in revenue for February and March of 14 per cent. The company believes it will achieve results in line with market expectations, [...]
