Qataris fund rollout of 75 City info pods March 4, 2012 THE QATARI Islamic Bank’s British branch, QIB UK, has partnered with on-the-go media firm Renew to fund the rollout of a new round of information pods in the City of London. Since first hitting the streets on 26 January, Renew’s 4.5-feet high pods double as recycling bins and information screens, updating City workers on the [...]
The week ahead: Oil, gas, defence and UK interest March 4, 2012 Today Petrofac, a solutions provider to the oil and gas industry, announces full year results today. The first set of results after a restructuring exercise in 2011 could see a hike in profits. Petrofac has recently been awarded an Iraqi oilfield project, building on its presence in the region. Glencore is announcing its full-year numbers [...]
THE WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD March 4, 2012 THE five-month stock rally has been built on a string of improving economic data that suggests US corporate profit growth will remain intact, according to some analysts. Job growth is a big part of that picture. It has lagged most other parts of the US economy, a point frequently raised by Republican presidential hopefuls. But [...]
The rigour and discipline of classics foster the skills for success in business and life March 4, 2012 WHEN education ministers talk about the skills that business needs, their main focus usually seems to be vocational, especially the so-called Stem subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Obviously, these are absolutely crucial, but the implication is that non-vocational subjects do not count. But all businesses need people with different skills to manage, develop, finance [...]
Insurance firms need regulators to pay attention March 4, 2012 PRUDENTIAL’S threat to quit the UK and move its headquarters to Asia isn’t a hollow one. There is a growing feeling in the City that British insurers are getting a raw deal from Solvency II, the new capital requirements that will soon govern the sector. There is wide acknowledgement that the UK regulator, the Financial [...]
The City wants strong partnerships to thrive March 4, 2012 THIS Thursday marks one of the major events in the City calendar, the Trade and Industry dinner – an important opportunity to celebrate and fortify the core relationships between the City and the wider economy. Now more than ever we need to strengthen our partnerships. We need a sense of cohesion if we want to [...]
RAPID RESPONSES March 4, 2012 Infernal devices [Re: All tax rates are too high, Friday] I don’t understand why so many people think the government knows how to invest our money. If they did, they would be in business not politics; or would at least have more experience of running a successful business. But every year policy-makers look busy by [...]
UK venture capitalism: Opportunities and costs March 4, 2012 JACOB MOSELEY THE venture capital industry in the UK, and the rest of Europe, is in something of a state of flux. During the tech bubble era, venture capital fundraising and investment activity expanded rapidly, but when the bubble burst, many firms struggled to survive the subsequent economic downturn. This has led to a consolidation [...]
RED TAPE MUST BE SHREDDED NOT LOOSENED March 4, 2012 THE coalition government has been talking the talk on economic growth in recent weeks. But it isn’t yet walking the walk. Well, they might occasionally be taking a few tentative, baby steps in the right direction. But it’s not enough. It’s nothing like enough. In his budget later this month, the chancellor should announce a [...]
Beat Europe’s economic blues by setting sights upon a brighter future March 4, 2012 MONEY, as they say, makes the world go around. Capital drives innovation and as success begets success the fruits of previous endeavours are ploughed into products and services of future creative destruction. Silicon Valley is the modern pinnacle of this virtuous cycle of money, brains and optimism. It’s all too easy to compare our failings [...]
