Small firms look to start hiring as tax cut nears September 16, 2013 MORE small companies intend to take on additional staff in the third quarter than at any time in the last three years, according to new research released today. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reveals that 15 per cent have increased staff numbers in this quarter, and have positive intentions for the near future. In [...]
Positive territory for US industry ahead of Fed decision on taper September 16, 2013 INDUSTRIAL production and a survey of factories announced yesterday saw some improvement in the US economy ahead of tomorrow’s decision on whether to trim the Fed’s QE programme. The New York Fed’s Empire State manufacturing index came in at 6.29, signalling slightly slower growth in September than in August. And industrial production across the US [...]
IMF approves next $113m aid loan to Cyprus September 16, 2013 CYPRUS yesterday passed its critical review by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), allowing the finance body to give the stricken Mediterranean island the next tranche of its bailout loans. The Fund completed its first review, enabling it to disburse another $113m (£71m) of the programme. Overall the IMF’s bailout plan budgets for loans totalling $1.3bn [...]
Business facing billions in bills from pension sign-up scheme September 16, 2013 FIRMS in the UK are facing several thousand pounds of set-up fees each to get up to speed with the government’s pension auto-enrolment scheme, and billions of pounds in total. According to research released today by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), auto-enrolment is set to cost businesses £15.4bn in set-up costs, with [...]
Eurozone inflation slows down as summer comes to an end September 16, 2013 INFLATION dipped in the Eurozone in August, according to official statistics released yesterday, and remains well below the target of the European Central Bank (ECB). The euro area’s consumer price index (CPI) fell from 1.6 per cent to 1.3 per cent in comparison to the same month last year, with core inflation at only 1.1 [...]
Ryanair to expand at Stansted as airport agrees to lower its fees September 16, 2013 RYANAIR has called a truce with the new owner of Stansted after persuading the airport to cut its fees, in a deal the budget airline claims will create 7,000 jobs. The Irish carrier has agreed a 10-year growth deal with Manchester Airports Group, which bought Stansted in January, that will see its traffic through the [...]
Costa Concordia starts to return to an even keel in £500m project September 16, 2013 THE COSTA Concordia cruise liner was yesterday inched slowly off the rock shelf where it has been stuck for more than 20 months, in a painstaking process to right the ship that looked set to continue late into the night. After a three-hour delay caused by an overnight storm, salvage crews started the so-called parbuckling [...]
Cable giant in France lines up November float September 16, 2013 FRENCH cable operator Numericable is planning an initial public offering (IPO) that could value the firm at over €5bn (£4.2bn). The current owners – Cinven, Carlyle and Altice Group – are expected to ride the current wave of investor interest in European cable companies all the way to an IPO. Just last week Vodafone bought [...]
Meter ticking for taxi-cab offices September 16, 2013 IF TIME is money, entrepreneur Mark Strachan is making the most of wasted travelling hours, with a plan to make money from commuting Blackberry addicts. The founder of British indoor ski slope firm Skiplex yesterday launched a crowdfunding plea for investment in the Luxury Mobile Office Company. The firm is seeking £150,000 on crowdfunding website [...]
A very happy Monday for Sir Bob September 16, 2013 THE LATEST big name to receive the Freedom of the City of London is crooner Sir Bob Geldof. The 61-year-old singer was at the Guildhall yesterday picking up his framed parchment certificate. He was also given the customary Rules for the Conduct of Life book by Chamberlain of London Chris Bilsland, despite protestations by Sir [...]
