Is the government right to delay its target of eliminating the structural deficit to 2017/18? December 5, 2012 YES Angus Campbell The chancellor has no option other than to push out the deadline to hit his fiscal deficit targets, as there simply isn’t enough growth in the economy. In the past few weeks, growth forecasts have been slashed. If he had stuck to his original dates, it would have meant austerity on a [...]
Rapid responses December 5, 2012 Debt calculations [Re: A case of lies, damn lies and our rocketing national debt, yesterday] It’s unsurprising that so few know the difference between the deficit and debt. The really shocking story is the way the government calculates its liabilities. The very first lesson in any accounting course is reflecting reality, and using accounts to give [...]
Who’s switching jobs December 5, 2012 Royal London Kerr Luscombe has been appointed group finance and strategy director at the financial services provider. He joined in 2011 as group strategy director, and has previously worked as finance director at Scottish Widows and Clerical Medical. Westhouse Holdings Simon Pettitt has been appointed head of the stockbroker’s fixed income business. He joins from Eurodekania. [...]
Best of the brokers December 5, 2012 WILLIAM HILL Nomura rates the bookie “reduce” with a target price of 260p. The broker thinks the firm’s exit from Greece will cost one per cent of 2013 earnings, and believes a deal to buy Sportingbet would be “excellent”. HOME RETAIL Morgan Stanley has an “overweight” rating on the Argos owner and a price target [...]
Mining firms and Tesco help push UK’s bluechip index up 0.4 per cent December 5, 2012 MINING stocks helped Britain’s main share index rise yesterday on expectations of stronger demand from China, offsetting lingering concerns about the US and European economies. Miners added 1.8 per cent after the head of China’s Communist Party said the world’s largest consumer of metals will approve policies targeted aimed at helping the economic recovery. Britain’s [...]
Apple’s fall hits the Nasdaq but Dow still rises December 5, 2012 A volatile trading session ended with US stocks mostly higher yesterday, even as Apple, the most valuable company in the United States, suffered its worst day of losses in almost four years. In a strange occurrence, Apple accounted for the entirety of the Nasdaq 100’s fall of 1.1 per cent, while the Dow industrials – [...]
Nintendo hopes its wacky Wii U console will herald better times December 5, 2012 It’s been a tough old year for Nintendo. The grand old company, which started life in 1889 selling playing cards (an operation it still continues in its native Japan), this year slumped to its first annual loss since going public in 1981. Lots of things were to blame: the end of the cycle of its [...]
Mario Bros U is fun — but is that enough? December 5, 2012 GAMES NEW SUPER MARIO BROS U From £42, amazon.co.uk *** THAT THE Italian plumber is the flagship launch title for Nintendo’s make-or-break console isn’t much of a surprise. The decision to make New Super Mario Bros U the most retro imagining of the franchise in years, though, is a bold choice, given that Nintendo has [...]
Make or break titles December 5, 2012 ZOMBI U A first person survival horror game that is a tantalising glimpse of how the Wii U could appeal to serious gamers as well as casual players. Makes innovative use of the GamePad. NINTENDO LAND A series of mini-games in the mould of Kinect Sports, with an emphasis on solving puzzles. Features lots of [...]
Chanel’s Highland fling December 5, 2012 The fashion label revisits its rich Scottish connections It’s TAKEN place in Shanghai, Moscow and Monte Carlo but this week Scotland was the destination of choice for Chanel’s Métiers d’Art fashion show. The annual spectacle took place within the walls of Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, and the lucky 300 guests were [...]
