BT advertising war boosts UK broadband March 6, 2011 FIERCE competition between Sky and BT is the most likely explanation for the unusually high growth in the UK broadband market last year, according to analysts at Enders. It enjoyed an “exceptionally strong” final quarter of last year, adding 397,000 new customers, beating some forecasts by around 100,000. Enders says the most likely cause is [...]
Royal wedding to boost struggling UK shop sales March 6, 2011 DESPITE sluggish retail sales growth in February, next month’s bank holidays will provide a spring bounce for the high street, accountancy group BDO said today. Like for like sales were up just 0.3 per cent in February compared to the same time last year, the BDO high street sales tracker found. “With January sales and [...]
Manufacturing optimism high yet inflation persists March 6, 2011 BRITAIN’S factory boom shows little sign of slowing down, according to a survey by manufacturing group EEF released today. However, rising global prices are increasingly being passed on to consumers, the report revealed. The survey reported a record strong quarter in the three months to February, with a positive balance of 25 per cent of [...]
London architect finds record height March 6, 2011 LONDON-based architect group Farrells has hit a new record-breaking high with the topping of the Kingkey Finance Tower in China. The 100-storey skyscraper stands at 441 metres (1,440ft) and is the tallest building designed by a British architect to date towering over any construction in the UK. The Kingkey tower is twice the height of [...]
Over half of tenants see rents rising March 6, 2011 OVER half British tenants expect rents to rise over the next 12 months, a Rightmove survey revealed today. The proportion of tenants expecting a hike (52.6 per cent) dwarfed the four per cent of respondents who expect rents to fall. At the end of 2010, only 41.7 per cent anticipated an increase in rents. Restricted [...]
Ireland aims to woo Europe with a pledge to stick to its budget targets March 6, 2011 IRELAND’S new government will stick to the budget targets laid down in an €85bn (£73bn pound) EU/IMF rescue package as it seeks to win European partners round to giving it easier terms on the loans. Ireland’s prime minister in-waiting Enda Kenny is under huge pressure to persuade Europe’s paymaster Germany to cut the interest rate [...]
Jamie’s Italian considers float March 6, 2011 Jamie Oliver is looking at a £100m float of his Italian restaurant chain Jamie’s Italian, according to a weekend report. The restaurant chain is in the early stages of considering a stock market float, which could not happen before the turn of the year, according to the Sunday Telegraph. The company has reportedly talked to [...]
BP to meet Russian investors March 6, 2011 Oil behemoth BP will meet with its rebel Russian shareholders today in front of three high court judges. Arbitration proceedings between the firm and shareholders inside TNK-BP will take place, in an attempt to settle disquiet over its strategy in Russia. The shareholders are unhappy that BP will deal with state-backed energy firm Rosneft, rather than [...]
Brazil vital to Google’s future March 6, 2011 Brazil is on the way to becoming Google’s sixth-largest global market, according to its chief executive Eric Schmidt. The world’s number one search company, which has been opening new offices in fast-growing Latin America, saw its revenue in the region surge last year on the back of brisk economic growth, with countries showing growth of [...]
John Lewis issues £50m retail bond March 6, 2011 THE John Lewis Partnership has issued a retail bond for its cardholders and Partners in a bid to raise £50m of funds by April. Customers who hold either the Partnership or Account cards, as well as current Partners in the employee-owned firm, can invest lump sums of between £1,000 and £10,000 into the John Lewis [...]
