Latest Japan quake knocks FTSE despite banking gains April 7, 2011 BRITAIN’S top share index fell yesterday after a second large earthquake to strike Japan within a month knocked investor confidence, with traders wary of further losses once Asian markets open. The FTSE 100, which fell more than four per cent after the March earthquake in Japan, closed down 33.76 points or 0.6 per cent at [...]
Aftershock upsets Wall Street trading April 7, 2011 US STOCKS fell yesterday after a major aftershock hit Japan, which caused injuries and renewed concerns about industrial supply disruptions and nuclear power. Investors sought protection against further market declines, which sent the CBOE Volatility Index VIX up 2.2 per cent to 17.27. VIX futures also rose as investors bet the index could rise above [...]
Portugal crisis shows threat to UK: Osborne April 7, 2011 CHANCELLOR George Osborne clashed with opposition leader Ed Miliband yesterday over the cuts to the UK’s annual government deficit. “If you hear the stories about the cuts and still wonder why our country needs to take these difficult decisions, then look at what is happening around us – first Greece, then Ireland, today Portugal,” Osborne [...]
Pledge to cut red tape yet minimum wage increased April 7, 2011 EXCESSIVE regulation was widely attacked at a meeting of business groups yesterday in Westminster, as the coalition launched its “red tape challenge” in a move to boost growth. Business secretary Vince Cable urged businesses to direct the government towards harmful legislation. “If a minister cannot then justify the regulations, they’ve got to go,” Cable told [...]
Industrial output another boon for German growth April 7, 2011 GERMANY’S economy is growing at almost twice the Eurozone average in 2011, economists forecast yesterday, after another week of positive data. Industrial output was up 1.4 per cent in February compared to January, official data from the German ministry of economy showed yesterday. “The good news for Germany continues,” said Markit’s Chris Williamson. “The country [...]
UK productivity fell at 2010 end April 7, 2011 PRODUCTIVITY in the UK fell by 0.3 per cent in the final three months of the year compared to the previous quarter, officials said yesterday. Compared to the final quarter of 2009, productivity was up by 0.8 per cent, according to the measure of output per worker. Meanwhile, separate data from Experian showed that insolvencies [...]
Jobless claims down in the US April 7, 2011 The US economy appears to be holding steadily to its growth path, as initial claims for unemployment benefits fell by 10,000 to 382,000, official data revealed yesterday.
Migration rules could hit finance April 7, 2011 Five in ten financial executives plan to hire a non-EU migrant worker in the first half of 2011 and four in ten think that the immigration cap will negatively impact their business, according to a survey by Robert Half, a financial recruitment consultancy.
Real UK debt is £3.6 trillion April 7, 2011 The true level of the UK government debt including “hidden” liabilities (public pensions, PFI and Network Rail) peaked at £3.6 trillion in February – the equivalent of £138,359 for every household in the country, the Centre for Policies Studies claimed yesterday.
Denmark mirrors ECB rates hike April 7, 2011 Denmark’s central bank hiked its lending rate by 0.25 to 1.30 per cent yesterday, mirroring the European Central Bank’s interest rate increase on the main re-financing operations by 0.25 per cent to 1.25 per cent.
