Innovation isn’t dead – but we mustn’t forget why the profit motive matters January 14, 2013 ECONOMISTS have long realised that sustained improvements in GDP-per-capita and welfare are achieved through productivity growth, driven by innovation. Over the past 250 years, a raft of technologies, including electricity, sanitation, fossil fuel extraction and internal combustion have revolutionised agriculture, facilitated the industrial revolution, and slashed transportation and communication times. Following 700 hundred years of [...]
Social mobility is a problem for British business to resolve January 14, 2013 ECONOMISTS tell us that the worst may be over. After a double-dip recession, unemployment is dropping, the FTSE has made a confident start to the year, banks are showing an increased willingness to lend, there are indications of life in the housing market, and there are some signs of growth. But even the most optimistic [...]
Are the government’s plans to introduce flat rate state pensions a welcome improvement? January 14, 2013 YES Ros Altmann The proposed changes the are broadly welcome. A flat rate state pension for all will provide a foundation on which other later life income can be built. We must make it safe to save and to work for longer, but the current system of means-testing undermines this. Ultimately, anyone reaching the state [...]
Letters to the Editor January 14, 2013 Britain in Europe [Re: Why the European dream has gone sour for so many firms, yesterday] Many of the benefits of trading with the EU have been wiped away by technological and economic trends. International markets have changed beyond recognition over the last ten years, and the EU hasn’t moved accordingly. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that [...]
Misplaced optimism in the European markets January 14, 2013 EUROPEAN equities yesterday took a knock, finishing the session at a near one week low. As reports of lackluster demand for Apple’s iPhone 5 triggered a sell-off in US markets, some investors on this side of the Atlantic followed suit and booked profits on the recent strong bull-run in the European market. Disappointing demand for [...]
The Tipster | Punch Drunk January 14, 2013 ALTHOUGH shares in J D Wetherspoon are up by 24 per cent over the last year, continued pressure on its margins, and no major sporting events in 2013, mean that it may not be a cheerful year for the pub chain. ETX Capital quotes a price of 516.22p-519.78p. Shares in ASOS more than doubled in 2012. [...]
Little Christmas cheer for retail January 14, 2013 Chief Market Strategist, Cantor Index THE official retail activity figures, which are posted monthly or at specific times like Christmas, are accurate but often indecipherable to the layman. The small print is where the message is. And the most recent figures suggest that Christmas was great for some, but brutal for others. The situation was [...]
Improved outlook rouses investors January 14, 2013 US housing revival could give boost to sales of associated products WE’RE off to a flying start. The first full week of trading in 2013 saw US equity funds attract $18.3bn (£11.4bn). This was, according to Thomson Reuters’s Lipper service, the fourth best-performing week for net inflows to equity funds since records began. For the [...]
Analyst picks for 15 January 2013 January 14, 2013 CURRENCY STRATEGIST CHRIS VECCHIO My pick: Keep an eye on Japanese yen pairs Expertise: Fundamental and technical analysis Average time frame of trades: A few hours to a few days I am focused on yen pairs. Traders have already priced in ultra-dovish policies from the Bank of Japan (BoJ), and there is an argument that the [...]
New year get-fit-quick remedies January 14, 2013 FITNESS & DIET EXPERT LAURAWILLIAMSONLINE.CO.UK @LAURAFITNESS Need more than a stint on the treadmill to help blitz that mince pie muffin top? These are my top three new year shape ups 1. FOR THE QUICK-FIX FAN If you’re looking for a helping hand to speed up your new year fitness efforts, try investigating the new [...]
