UK dividends bounce back at long last October 17, 2010 UK DIVIDEND payouts bounced back in the third quarter with the forecast for the year lifted to £55.7bn. Investors had suffered five consecutive quarters of falls, according to the latest Capita Registrars Dividend Monitor. The index analyses every dividend paid in the UK market. The strong showing in the third quarter means Capita Registrars upgraded [...]
FASHIONABLE WEST END October 17, 2010 RETAILERS in London’s West End have reported an 8.5 per cent year-on-year sales surge in September thanks to fashion-conscious shoppers seeking out new clothes for the Winter season. The New West End Company, which represents stores on Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street, said revamped stores and new lines were behind the sales.
French step up strikes in pensions row October 17, 2010 FRENCH truck drivers vowed to block key roads from last night and rail unions announced new strikes from today, putting fresh pressure on President Nicolas Sarkozy over his unpopular pension reform. New action by truckers and rail workers, continuing strikes by refinery workers and the threat of more street marches in the drive to force [...]
ID fraud costs UK economy £2.7bn October 17, 2010 UK identity fraud costs more than £2.7bn and affects over 1.8m people every year, according to new figures. On average, fraudsters gain over £1,000 from every stolen identity, according to the National Fraud Authority. Criminals often look to fraudulently obtain genuine documents such as birth certificates, passports and driving licences. However, they also intercept utility [...]
Christmas retail sales could be best since 2007 October 17, 2010 SHOPPERS will spend more on the high street in the run up to Christmas than they have for at least three years, a report has claimed. Retail analysts Verdict Research said high street sales were likely to increase by £1.6bn in the three months to Christmas, a 1.9 per cent rise on last year, to [...]
Firms hiring again to boost future growth October 17, 2010 WIDESPREAD recruitment freezes are now a thing of the past and firms are cautiously planning targeted hiring in the areas that will maximise growth, according to a survey published today by the CBI and recruitment consultants Harvey Nash. The survey of more than 2,000 businesses revealed that only seven per cent of firms are currently [...]
EU says Ireland needs to find consensus on its budget plan October 17, 2010 THE European Union (EU) has warned the Irish government and opposition parties there must be political consensus on budget measures to ensure international markets continue lending to the country next year, according to an Irish newspaper report. An agreement in cross-party talks involving Prime Minister Brian Cowen; the leader of junior coalition partner, the Greens; [...]
ECB’s Trichet rejects view of Weber on bond buying October 17, 2010 EUROPEAN Central Bank (ECB) president Jean-Claude Trichet has taken issue with recent comments on ECB policy by Bundesbank chief Axel Weber, saying they did not represent the views of the central bank’s governing council. In an interview with an Italian newspaper yesterday, Trichet said the governing council as a whole did not agree with Weber’s [...]
WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE UK LABOUR MARKET FACE? October 17, 2010 MICHAEL SAUNDERS | CITI “Last week’s BCC survey implied that there is less labour market slack than would be expected given the surge in the jobless rate. The share of firms reporting recruitment difficulties also rose slightly. It is possible that the shift towards export-oriented manufacturing is exacerbating skill mismatches.” IAN JERMIN | MERCHANT SECURITIES [...]
Aim needs UK companies to aid recovery October 17, 2010 THE ALTERNATIVE Investment Market (Aim) is showing signs of a revival, but the junior market needs to attract more UK-based firms to support this return to growth, according to research out today. The market has raised £2.8bn in the first eight months of 2010, said business advisory firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in a report released today, [...]
