Second day of bounce back on Wall Street April 12, 2012 US stocks scored a second day of solid gains yesterday, led by materials and energy stocks, as investors set aside weak figures on the domestic labour market. Rumours about strong growth figures due overnight from China helped wash away some of the worries that hit stocks during a five-day streak of losses that ended with [...]
Government fails the moral code it is now demanding of taxpayers April 12, 2012 IT IS difficult to think of an issue that has generated more self-righteous moralising by politicians of all parties than the recent furore over “abusive” tax avoidance. Some of the pronouncements emanating from Westminster would lead one to believe that tax avoidance is one of the great crimes of our age. Except it’s not a [...]
Publishing’s future hangs in the balance: This is no time to pick winners April 12, 2012 IN THE tradition of digital success leading to massive antitrust lawsuits, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) this week filed a suit against Apple and five publishers for allegedly conspiring to keep ebook prices artificially high. Apple’s epublishing rival Amazon rubbed salt on the wound by promptly cutting its Kindle ebook prices even further. But [...]
The pain in Spain has put its banks back on the rack April 12, 2012 WITH a sense of inevitability the spotlight has landed on Spain. Though the headlines proclaimed that the Eurozone crisis has returned with a vengeance, the truth is it never left. Spain is not Greece, but, many of the market fears surrounding the economy are still both well-founded and expected. There are three major causes of [...]
Should George Osborne reverse the cap on income tax relief for charitable donations? April 12, 2012 YES Sir Stuart Etherington This proposal needs an urgent rethink before it does irreversible damage. Major donors face at least six months of confusion and charities are already losing gifts as a result. High-level donations form a significant proportion of voluntary income, and framing tax relief on donations to charity as a tax avoidance measure [...]
RAPID RESPONSES April 12, 2012 Kamall on Barnier [Re: I value the City: EU commissioner responds to criticisms, yesterday] Michel Barnier’s reply falls short on specifics and won’t reassure London hedge funds and private equity houses. Barnier holds hundreds of meetings with the industry, but listening to what is said at them is another matter. The industry doesn’t have faith [...]
This Port D’Andratx stunner offers the best of sunny luxury April 12, 2012 A state-of-the art villa to make your glitziest friends weep with jealousy – but at least they’ll be able to stop off on their yacht tour round the Med and see you. This 540 sq m, four to five bedroom pad revolves around sun and water, with a magnificent pool area with sauna and Jacuzzi, [...]
A pair of ocean idylls in the BVI and Mallorca April 12, 2012 I’m fairly sure it doesn’t get much better than 100 Pond Bay for a paradise island getaway. This newly built, 8,000 sq ft BVI idyll is a five minute drive from the Virgin Gorda yacht harbour, commercial centre and main ferry dock of Spanish Town. The house, which includes its own spacious spa, is set [...]
FOCUS ON: CHISWICK April 12, 2012 BEDFORD ROAD Price: £3.1m This six-bedroom estate is a great property for relaxation with a south facing garden and a roof terrace. It has two shower rooms and a bathroom. With two reception rooms, the property is perfect for social gatherings. Contact savills.co.uk or 020 8987 5550 HARTSWOOD ROAD Price: £1.9m This semi-detached family house [...]
Cabin in the Woods has the goods April 12, 2012 FILM THE CABIN IN THE WOODS Cert 15 **** The Cabin in the Woods is one of those films you really need to see before you read about it. Ideally, you should stumble across it by mistake. I suggest running blindfolded into a cinema with your fingers crammed into your ears and hoping that by [...]
