City says Lib Dems not up to scratch September 18, 2011 THE Liberal Democrat party is underperforming, with only Danny Alexander surging ahead in popularity stakes, according to our poll of influential City figures. Respondents were asked to rate the party’s performance, compared to their expectations when the coalition came to power. Overall, the 356 people polled ranked the party’s performance as 29 per cent below [...]
Cable offers to swap 50p rate for a levy on most expensive homes September 18, 2011 BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable has suggested Liberal Democrats could allow the 50p rate of tax on top earners to be dropped if the Tories agree to impose a “mansion tax” in return. Cable’s solution to what has become a difficult impasse for the coalition parties is to replace the 50p tax with a levy on [...]
Debenhams eyeing web sales growth September 18, 2011 DEBENHAMS will issue its first results under new boss Michael Sharp tomorrow with an added emphasis expected to be placed on online growth. The figures for the fourth quarter come as UK retailers face headwinds as household budgets are squeezed. Analysts are expecting the chain to focus on its international growth – particularly at its [...]
Top retailers lose out on £500m in online market September 18, 2011 SOME of the UK’s retail giants are missing out on millions in online sales as they fail to grasp the potential of new technology, a survey shows today. The UK’s best known brands were found to have squandered a potential £500m in sales between 2007 and 2010. According to research from Oxford Economics, supermarket giant [...]
Lion King tops US box office September 18, 2011 A 3D release of animated classic The Lion King ruled the weekend box office, trouncing virus thriller Contagion, according to estimates yesterday. The Lion King 3D sold a stronger-than-expected $29.3m (£18.6m) over three days at US and Canadian theatres. First released in 1994, the Disney film is one of the top-grossing animated movies of all [...]
Small firms bleak on loans September 18, 2011 Four in ten small to medium sized businesses needed to increase their access to loans and other financing over the last three months, yet three quarters complain that bank lending margins are too high, according to research out today. Thirty-three per cent of smaller firms think access to loans has got worse in the last [...]
Preparation does not need be a full-time pursuit September 18, 2011 Q&A: London 2012 TIME TO GET READY Q. We run a small company and do not officially have a specific person or department who is looking after the logistics of the business during the Games. Where should we start? And is there help available? I want us to be prepared, but do not have the [...]
House prices 60pc lower in suburbia September 18, 2011 LONDON workers save an average of 60 per cent on house prices by living an hour’s rail journey away from the capital. New research shows the typical £4,400 annual cost of a 60-minute commute to the centre of London is dwarfed by the money saved from lower property costs. The Halifax study showed average house [...]
The millionaire towns in capital commuter belt September 18, 2011 HALF of the houses on the market in commuter town Beaconsfield, Bucks, are valued at over £1m, a survey out today from primelocation.com reveals. At 47 per cent, the town has the highest proportion of seven-figure homes in the country. Indeed, the top fifteen towns with the highest percentage of million pound houses are all [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS September 18, 2011 American Appraisal The global valuation firm has appointed Emily Hadley as director and head of its debt advisory practice in the UK to advise banking, loan servicing, hedge fund and corporate clients on their debt structures. Hadley joins from Barclays Capital Mortgage Servicing, where she was vice president of special servicing. Prior to Barclays Capital, [...]
