Fed’s caution hits Wall Street April 4, 2012 US stocks fell for a second day yesterday as investors contemplated a world without monetary stimulus and a poorly received bond auction in Spain suggested the effects of Europe’s funding operations were waning. Selling was broad as indexes tracking nine of the 10 S&P 500 sectors ended lower, with financial, materials and technology shares the [...]
Real tax reform is an impossibility until we shrink the size of the state April 4, 2012 EVERY year about this time, as the daffodils start blooming there is a call from some think tank, academic or economist for major tax reform. This year, it was Andrew Sentance, writing in The Forum. There are two responses that a politician can make to this. The wise but cautious one pays lip service to [...]
Rick Santorum is on the ropes and risks an ugly beating in Pennsylvania April 4, 2012 AFTER Rick Santorum won Louisiana’s primary late last month, MSNBC’s David Gregory endeavoured to keep his viewers interested in the Republican race by claiming that the result had officially created “a two-man race.” After Tuesday night, despite their best efforts, not even the media are claiming this race is competitive. Despite his commanding delegate lead, [...]
You can check out anytime – but can the clients follow? April 4, 2012 WOULD the City be better if it was more like California? Obviously, the sunshine and beaches would be nice. But what about the Golden State’s employment law? Restrictive covenants (RC) are contracts that many people in the City sign when they start a job, which tell them what they can and can’t do when they [...]
With the Prime Minister issuing an Easter message, should the government do God? April 4, 2012 YES Elizabeth Hunter It was Gandhi who said those who think religion has nothing to do with politics understand neither religion nor politics. Both are concerned with what a good life and a good society look like – they will always overlap. Political leaders, like every citizen, should be able to speak authentically about their [...]
RAPID RESPONSES April 4, 2012 Tough love [Re: Let’s stop wasting our aid budget on funding lobbyists, yesterday] Raheem Kassam is right to expect maximum value for money from Britain’s aid budget and that is why tackling the cancer of fraud and corruption is a top priority for the coalition. Our message is clear: those who undermine progress in the [...]
Marketing is changing, but won’t be unrecognisable April 4, 2012 SIMON Middleton, in his book What You Need to Know About Marketing, describes the profession as “one of the earliest activities ever undertaken by mankind.” Like another early profession, it is often perceived as “of dubious morality.” Middleton explains that the impulse to market is misunderstood. Marketing is simply about building relationships between businesses and [...]
JOBS of the WEEK April 4, 2012 MARKETING MANAGER SOUTH EAST £45k pa A leading financial services provider is looking to recruit a marketing manager to its building society distribution channel. The role requires significant experience and strong numeracy. http://www.cityamcareers.com/job/7688 HEAD OF BRAND AND COMMUNICATIONS HOME COUNTIES £60k-£80k pa This small, dynamic firm requires someone with high energy levels, a positive outlook [...]
Course selection is not easy in accountancy as all qualifications excel April 4, 2012 ACCOUNTANTS needn’t feel judged by their acronyms. While the ACA, the ACCA, the CIMA, and the CA all bear their own associations, accountancy qualifications are slowly shirking their historical prejudices. Nowhere is this more obvious than in their international recognition. The ACA, offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), has [...]
Kinect Star Wars fails to deliver fireworks April 4, 2012 GAMES KINECT STAR WARS Cert: 12A ** Remember that bit in Return of the Jedi when Princess Leah sings a version of Christina Aguilera’s Genie in a Bottle entitled Princess in a Battle? No? What about the bit when Han Solo busts out his disco moves? It didn’t happen, did it? Well, it does in [...]
