South east hardest hit in recession December 8, 2010 LONDON bore the biggest brunt of the recession last year, official data revealed yesterday. The capital’s economy contracted by 2.6 per cent in 2009, after growing by 3.9 per cent the year before. The drop was the largest for all UK regions. And London lost 192,000 jobs during the year, the highest number in the [...]
Surge in German manufacturing December 8, 2010 German industrial production rose by 2.9 per cent in October, compared to the previous month, it was announced yesterday. German industry continues to thrive, with October’s figures showing a double digit increase – close to 12 per cent on the same time in 2009. The figures likely point to greater GDP growth in the fourth [...]
Job openings and credit up in US December 8, 2010 American job vacancies have increased to 3.36m in October, offering some hope for the employment market. The job openings rate (the proportion of the jobs market taken up by openings) was up to 2.7 per cent in the private sector. Meanwhile, US consumer credit was up by $3.3bn (£2.1bn), the Federal Reserve announced last night. [...]
OECD: Reform taxes for recovery December 8, 2010 Governments must reform their tax regimes if they are to avoid stunting the economic recovery, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said yesterday. Taxes on consumption and residential property tax are less harmful than personal and corporate income taxes, they said.
Give your career a new year’s boost December 8, 2010 WITH 2011 on the horizon, now is an excellent time to start thinking about adding a new string to your bow. If you are in search of a New Year’s Resolution, you could do worse than choose to study for a professional qualification. Luckily, there are options this January. BPP is launching its MBA next [...]
Private sector pay on the rise December 8, 2010 Private sector pay increased for the sixth consecutive month, according to VocaLink Take Home Pay Indices released yesterday. Meanwhile government sector pay growth has been stuck at 1.3 per cent for four straight months, and for three months private sector wage growth has exceeded rises in public sector wages. Manufacturing has seen the strongest increase [...]
Business morale jumps in France December 8, 2010 French business confidence rose in November as job creation and household sentiment suggested that domestic demand will hold up in coming months. The survey, by BdF, showed increasing optimism in both manufacturing and service sectors. The manufacturing index jumped to 107 for November from 104 and the service index was up to 98 from 96.
Gifts for kids December 8, 2010 DISNEY CARS LIGHTNING MCQUEEN 12-INCH BIKE, £99.99 Let your child be their very own Lightning McQueen on this bike modelled on the popular cars film. www.toysrus.co.uk BUZZ LIGHTYEAR, £49.99 The toy that goes to infinity and beyond. All good retailers TRON ZERO GRAVITY LIGHT-CYCLE, £34 The remote controlled Light Cycle can defy gravity by climbing [...]
Gifts for him December 8, 2010 LEICA X1 BLACK CAMERA, £1,395 The German company’s cameras are the essence of retro-chic, though they’re some of the finest digital kit around. www.leica-camera.com HUNTSMAN REVERSIBLE SCARF, £215 Silk on one side, classic Prince of Wales check on the other, from one of Savile Row’s most famous names. www.h-huntsman.com BILLIONAIRE TYCOON, £34.99 Board game in [...]
LYNN CROOK, SELFRIDGES’ BUYING MANAGER FOR CHILDRENSWEAR AND TOYS, ON HOW TO SHOP December 8, 2010 Q.Should you blitz the shops at once or pace yourself? A.A blitz could mean one big manic, fun-filled day with plenty of treats to break it up and make it a great day out. The very organised among you might want to pace yourself, though. Q.What are your top tips for not getting overwhelmed? A.Listen [...]
