We need a consumer revolution to deliver lower utility prices February 18, 2013 POLITICAL ideas have always been cyclical. When incomes are falling, the economy is flatlining, credit is scarcer, prices are rising and it is hard to find work, the public always turns against capitalism (or the mixed economy corporatism that these days passes for it); in boom times, it tends to be more relaxed about other [...]
We need a consumer revolution to deliver lower utility prices February 17, 2013 POLITICAL ideas have always been cyclical. When incomes are falling, the economy is flatlining, credit is scarcer, prices are rising and it is hard to find work, the public always turns against capitalism (or the mixed economy corporatism that these days passes for it); in boom times, it tends to be more relaxed about [...]
Cameron blows UK’s trade horn on India visit February 17, 2013 LONDON’S transport expertise and Tesco’s expansion plans will be high on the agenda during Prime Minister David Cameron’s trade mission to India this week. Cameron will arrive in Mumbai today with a delegation of ministers and business bosses including Standard Chartered’s Peter Sands to speak with trade partners in India. Transport for London has sent [...]
Bottom Line: Tesco hopes to charm shoppers February 17, 2013 When Starbucks opened its first stores in Mumbai last October, queues around the Taj Mahal hotel stretched almost to the Gateway of India – the imposing arch on the harbour under which Boris Johnson held a bike-riding photo call a few weeks later. America’s frothy coffee seemed, at the time, to go down much better [...]
Patent costs to plummet after Vince Cable signs deal with EU February 17, 2013 THE COST of registering patents in the EU is set to fall from €36,000 (£31,000) to €5,000, following reforms due to be agreed by business secretary Vince Cable this week. At the moment inventors and businesses have to register their innovations separately with all EU member states. The new agreement, which will be signed tomorrow, [...]
Households expect even worse squeeze on finances is coming February 17, 2013 HOUSEHOLD budgets dipped once more in February, and look set to get even worse in coming months. Markit’s headline household finance index was stuck at 37.7 in February, the same level as January and deep below the 50 threshold that indicates no change in households’ situations. And the economics consultancy’s outlook index, which focuses on [...]
Ministers pour cold water on RBS share giveaway proposals February 17, 2013 CONSERVATIVE ministers yesterday dismissed claims that they are ready to privatise RBS by handing shares to the public before 2015, despite Lib Dem backing for the plan. Reports over the weekend suggested the coalition was willing to sell off the bank’s shares to the public at a discount or even give them away ahead of [...]
Cinven gears up for £1bn float of annuity outfit February 17, 2013 CINVEN, the private equity business, is firming up plans for a £1bn float of its annuity business Partnership amid a renaissance in London’s capital markets. The mid-market buyout shop, which also owns PizzaExpress and ASK Italian restaurants, is understood to be pushing for an initial public offering (IPO) of Partnership in the second half of [...]
London house prices up 1.2pc over February February 17, 2013 A SMALLER than usual February bump failed to put a dent in the rapid pace of London house price growth, according to data out yesterday. London’s asking prices grew at 1.2 per cent in the second month of 2013, Rightmove said this morning, the slowest growth seen since 2009 in the usually strong month. But [...]
Thomas Cook to set out strategy February 17, 2013 TRAVEL group Thomas Cook will this week unveil its latest plans to turn around its fortunes, following an in-depth review of the business led by new chief executive Harriet Green. Green, who was appointed in July 2012, was tasked with shaking up the company after a string of profit warnings. Reports at the weekend said [...]
