Hope for the high street as UK consumer confidence improves January 30, 2013 BRITISH consumers have started the year feeling less pessimistic about the country’s economic prospects, a widely-regarded survey revealed this morning. Research company GfK’s first consumer confidence barometer of 2013 found that expectations for the general economic situation over the coming year jumped by six index points. While still slumped in negative territory, this sub-index climbed [...]
Census reveals English spoken by 92 per cent January 30, 2013 ONLY 148,000 people usually resident in England or Wales cannot speak one of the two countries’ mother tongues, the census data, yesterday released by the Office for National Statistics, revealed. Around three-quarters of a million people could speak some English or Welsh – though it was not their first or main language – but could [...]
Belgium’s GDP shows slow decline January 30, 2013 The Belgian economy shrank by 0.2 per cent last year, according to official flash estimates released yesterday. The Eurozone state’s GDP fell by 0.1 per cent in the final three months of the year, compared to the previous quarter. BNP Paribas said it expects the Belgian economy to flatline in 2013, recording zero growth.
Quotas opposed by 94pc of women January 30, 2013 Only six per cent of attendees at a recent conference of high-powered women believed quotas to be the best way of getting women ahead in key industries, recruitment firm Randstad said yesterday. “The view I hear echoed by many women in the retail sector is that they would prefer to get there on their own [...]
Irish unemployment holds at 14.6pc January 30, 2013 Unemployment in Ireland has stuck at 14.6 per cent at the start of this year, its Central Statistics Office (CSO) said yesterday. The rate is down 0.3 percentage points compared to January a year ago. The number of people claiming jobless benefits in Ireland fell by 900 on a seasonally adjusted basis compared to December.
Fitch cuts troubled Egypt’s rating January 30, 2013 Fitch yesterday cut Egypt’s sovereign credit rating one notch to B from B-plus, citing a wider budget deficit and political instability. The rating “reflects a balance between short-term reserve pressure, political upheaval, a weak and deteriorating fiscal position and capital flight against our assumption that an IMF programme will be in place after the election,” [...]
Polymetal gives upbeat outlook as denies tie-up January 30, 2013 RUSSIAN precious metals producer Polymetal yesterday denied merger talks with peer Polyus Gold, as it said it was on track to produce 1.2m troy ounces of gold equivalent in 2013. A spokesperson from the FTSE 100 company yesterday told City A.M. that Polymetal was not in discussions with fellow Russian gold producer Polyus Gold regarding [...]
Costs force Antofagasta to warn over gold and copper output January 30, 2013 CHILEAN copper miner Antofagasta topped the FTSE 100 loser board yesterday as it warned on copper and gold production. Output this year is expected to fall to around 700,000 tonnes of copper and 260,000 ounces of gold, due to higher on-site costs at both the Esperanza and Los Pelambres mines. The cost to mine a [...]
Weaker sales hurt Johnson Matthey profit January 30, 2013 CHEMICALS firm Johnson Matthey saw profits plunge over the third quarter, due to lower sales in its precious metals products division. Underlying pre-tax profits sank 19 per cent to £84.3m over the third quarter, it said yesterday. The precious metal product division, which refines and fabricates metals such as platinum, posted a seven per cent [...]
Dutch court says Shell partly responsible for Nigeria spills January 30, 2013 A DUTCH court ruled yesterday that Royal Dutch Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary was responsible for a case of oil pollution in the Niger Delta and ordered it to pay damages in a decision that could open the door to further litigation. The district court in The Hague said Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), a [...]
