Troubled small business seeks state roll-back November 4, 2012 SMALL FIRMS today called for a national insurance holiday and a greater focus on cutting red tape as they fight their way out of recession. Some 41 per cent of firms surveyed by BDO and the Quoted Companies Alliance said reforming equities regulation could help them access finance to grow. The most popular reform would [...]
UK’s highest earners face sixth highest tax burden in the world November 4, 2012 THE UK’S highest earners are being clobbered with the sixth highest overall tax burden in the world, data showed today, dampening the incentives to work and invest in the UK. UK citizens earning the equivalent of $1.5m (£936,900) in a year take home just $749,600 after taxes and social security contributions, the report from UHY [...]
Companies still wary despite bounce back out of recession November 4, 2012 FIRMS REMAIN cautious going into the fourth quarter, according to research released today, despite the UK’s escape from recession. Business confidence climbed to 4.2 for the last three months of the year, accounting body ICAEW said today, from 1.1 in the third quarter. “While the UK economy has come out recession, business confidence is still [...]
Aureus strikes share deal gold November 4, 2012 GOLD miner Aureus Mining, the junior mining entity listed on Aim, has outlined an underwriting agreement with brokers RBC, GMP and Clarus Securities to place $80m (£50m) of shares to fund Liberia’s first commercial gold mine. The London-listed firm, led by former Randgold exploration chief David Reading, is hoping to place a minimum of £50m [...]
Public Accounts Committee set to grill HMRC bosses at hearing November 4, 2012 THE PUBLIC Accounts Committee today opens a probe into tax receipts, with top HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officials to be grilled ahead of the committee questioning Starbucks and Google. Lin Homer, the chief executive of HMRC, will face the committee this afternoon, as will other members of the department. HMRC faced criticism over the [...]
Why banishing fraudsters isn’t such a bad idea November 4, 2012 IN 1814, my ancestors Mary and William met and fell in love on a cruise from England to Australia. It must have been romantic, sailing the three month ocean journey, eating fresh fish while watching the crimson red sunset merge with the sapphire blue waters. Except for one thing, of course. They were convicts. Both [...]
German hospitals have stolen a march on 4G cost savings November 4, 2012 BATTERSEA saw the launch of the UK’s first major fourth generation (4G) mobile service last Thursday. Nicole Scherzinger of X-Factor chose a dress made up of live Tweets for the occasion, while a 4D light show transformed the grim exterior of Battersea’s derelict power station into a lively illumination of what a future super-fast Britain [...]
City Moves | Who’s switching jobs November 4, 2012 Legal & General Property Bill Page has been appointed business space research manager at the property fund management firm. He joins from Jones Lang LaSalle, where he was most recently head of Europe, Middle East and Africa offices research. Page has also held roles at the Estates Gazette Group. Quindell Portfolio Robert Thompson has been [...]
Best of the Brokers November 4, 2012 INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS Numis rates the hotel chain “add” and has a target price of £18 ahead of third quarter results tomorrow. The broker expects to see slower revenue growth for now and earnings of $165m. GLAXOSMITHKLINE UBS has a “neutral” rating on the pharma giant but has cut its target price from £15.25 to £14.50 [...]
Raft of firms set to release figures as Bank debates if more QE needed November 4, 2012 THE biggest question for UK investors this week is whether the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will opt for more quantitative easing. The decision, which will be announced on Thursday, comes after strong jobs and GDP data. “Strong third quarter GDP data suggested that underlying growth was slightly stronger than previously thought and [...]
