Part-time jobs help boost UK employment November 17, 2010 THE number of people out of work in the UK has fallen, official figures showed yesterday. Unemployment fell by 9,000 in the three months to September. The total unemployment rate remains unchanged, at 7.7 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The number of claimants – people out of work and receiving [...]
Speedy Hire set for boost from 2012 Olympics work November 17, 2010 Speedy Hire yesterday reported a larger-than-expected loss for the six months to 30 September. Its adjusted pre-tax loss was £9.9m between April and September, compared with a loss of £4.8m a year ago. Sales fell 4.1 per cent to £177.3m. Despite the losses, Olympic spirit and private spending are expected to boost Speedy Hire’s prospects. [...]
American inflation slumps to its weakest rate for 53 years November 17, 2010 CORE US inflation fell to an annual rate of just 0.6 per cent in October, according to data released yesterday by the Labor Department. This is the lowest 12 month increase in the 53 year history of the index. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) “less food and energy” recorded no increases at all for the [...]
Bank of England’s Tucker is upbeat on UK economy November 17, 2010 PARTS of Europe are experiencing difficulties but Britain’s economy looks in better shape now than it was a few months ago, Bank of England deputy governor Paul Tucker said yesterday. In an interview with BBC Radio Oxford, Tucker struck a cautiously upbeat tone and reiterated the central bank’s commitment to bring “uncomfortably high” inflation back [...]
All steady as MPC decides to wait and see November 17, 2010 INTEREST rate changes remain off the agenda after the majority of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to continue their policy of “wait and see”, it was announced yesterday. The Bank of England’s interest rate setting body replicated last month’s meeting, with seven of the committee’s nine members voting against changes to either interest rates [...]
Gloom hinders Barratt sales November 17, 2010 BUILDER Barratt Developments yesterday reported an autumn slowdown in reservations, as an uncertain economic environment and limited mortgage availability continued to weigh on consumer sentiment. Net reservations per active sales site stood at 0.45 compared with 0.55 a year ago as homebuyers took longer to commit to buying ahead of a government announcement on spending [...]
Lactalis makes a move for Yoplait with a £1bn plus offer November 17, 2010 EUROPE’S largest dairy group Lactalis said it had offered to buy all of French yoghurt maker Yoplait with a view to creating a world dairy giant. Unlisted Lactalis did not put a price tag on its offer, but a source close to the deal said the offer valued Yoplait at around €1.3bn (£1.1bn), or over [...]
Unilever deal gets go-ahead November 17, 2010 ANGLO-DUTCH consumer goods firm Unilever won EU regulatory approval yesterday for its $1.3bn (£817m) purchase of Sara Lee Corp’s bodycare business after pledging to divest some assets from the acquisition. The European Commission said Unilever’s plan to sell Sara Lee’s Sanex brand and related business in Europe had eased concerns that the takeover could hurt [...]
Sandeesh’s star dims as screen experience flops November 17, 2010 A 6am summons to Pinewood studios and Sandeesh’s brain was whirring. Pine… wood… Pine… “I think it’s a furniture store”, she informed the others of the home of British cinema. Their task was to sell a “big screen experience”, a rather grand description for getting £15 off harassed shoppers so their children can stand against [...]
SHOULD THE UK HELP TO BAIL IRELAND OUT OF ITS DEBT CRISIS? November 17, 2010 STEVE LINTON | HEWLETT PACKARD “I suppose that because we are not in the Eurozone, it is an EU responsibility. On the other hand, we are supposed to be united. Maybe we should work with our European partners to craft a package.” BEN JENKINS | RSA “Ireland is a part of the British Isles so [...]
