The great green roadblock in the path of recovery October 6, 2011 DAVID Cameron wants the coalition to be the “greenest government ever”. But it is doubtful this aim is compatible with strong growth and economic recovery. New Labour’s climate change targets were very ambitious but the coalition has now gone even further. The government has committed to targets that imply in just twenty years’ time nearly [...]
Decoding the protests occupying Wall Street October 6, 2011 AMERICA’S left may finally have found its answer to the Tea Party. Over the last four weeks, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement has gone from a local curiosity to a national phenomenon, with copycat protests in several cities across the US, including Washington DC. In a sure sign that it is being taken more [...]
RAPID RESPONSES October 6, 2011 Inflexible traders As your Q&A on Monday said, the London transport system is going to struggle to cope during the Olympics and most businesses are going to look at ways for employees to work remotely. But City traders are one of those increasingly rare professional groups whose remote working practices are restricted. One of the [...]
Investments that are as safe as houses October 6, 2011 TUMULTUOUS financial markets have not turned off the property investor. Indeed, the luxury London and world cities markets are booming. Catherine Cockcroft of estate agent Aylesford says: “Investing in bricks and mortar has proved to be a reliable asset because stocks and shares are extremely unsteady, interest on savings is nominal and a reasonable pension [...]
STANMORE, HA7 October 6, 2011 CASTLE KEEP PENTHOUSE Price: £999,995 Castle Keep Penthouse is a duplex apartment over two floors and a roof terrace. It has high ceilings, an elegant dining room with a marble fireplace, three double bedrooms all en suite, a luxury bespoke oak-finished kitchen, guest cloakroom and laundry room. Contact: Savills on 01923 824 225 or go [...]
BUY October 6, 2011 DIRECTOR OF ESTATE AGENT DOUGLAS & GORDON Q.I’m struggling to sell my flat and was wondering whether you would recommend letting it out and using the income to rent or buy something else? A. Given the difficulty everyone is having getting a mortgage at the moment, the rental market is increasingly busy. Indeed, I’m amazed that [...]
The Fear Index: The day has come to make a real killing… October 6, 2011 THEY gathered around the trading screen in Execution. One of the quants vacated his desk to give them a better view. “So, this is VIXAL-4 in operation,” said Hoffman. He stood back to let the investors get closer to the terminal. He decided not to sit: that would have let them see the wound on [...]
… but our writer disagrees. Algos mean no harm October 6, 2011 THE avarice and greed of traders leading themselves and others to ruin. The creation of powerful computer-driven algo systems that nobody understands. Another creation by grasping bankers trying to churn and burn viable publicly listed businesses as fast as they can. Whipping up uncontrollable market volatility. Exacerbating terrifying sounding “flash crashes.” All happening in the [...]
The brand new Fass of fashion October 6, 2011 GENTLEMAN, take note. You might not know of Michael Fassbender, but you will: the Fass-fest will start soon. The chiselled Brit has crept onto the big screen as Magneto in X-Men First Class, the cravatted Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre, and a sex addict in Shame opposite Carey Mulligan, a performance which earned him the [...]
HOW TO GET DRESSED October 6, 2011 FOUNDERS OF ROUS ILAND MEMBERS’ BOUTIQUE Q.Fashion pages are full of jumpsuits, I’d really love to wear one but I don’t think I can pull it off especially as I’m 5”3 and size 12. A.Just like dresses, there is a jumpsuit for every shape and personality. They’ve been around long enough to have proven they [...]