King: Deficit must be cut more rapidly November 24, 2009 BRITAIN’S next government will need a credible plan to reduce the country’s structural deficit over the lifetime of just one parliamentary term, Bank of England governor Mervyn King warned yesterday. Testifying in front of the Treasury Select Committee, King said: “I don’t think there’s any immediate risk, but the longer there isn’t a credible plan [...]
Banks report mortgage approvals at two-year high November 24, 2009 THE number of new mortgages approved by the main banks rose to its highest level for nearly two years in October. The British Bankers’ Association said 42,238 loans were approved last month – nearly double the number seen last October at the height of the crisis. This was a slight increase on the September figure [...]
Investment by business falls November 24, 2009 BUSINESS investment in Britain fell three per cent between July and September compared with the previous three months, according to official data released yesterday. The Office for National Statistics said investment was 21.7 per cent lower compared with the same period last year at £28.393bn. The third quarter spending drop by companies, for goods ranging [...]
Germany sees output growth November 24, 2009 A RISE in output helped German manufacturing activity expand for the second month running in November, driving an increase in private sector growth in Europe’s largest economy, a survey showed yesterday. A flash estimate of the Markit composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which surveys the services and manufacturing sectors, showed growth for the fourth month [...]
Supermarkets and food staples have a family feel November 24, 2009 BrandIndex asks general questions about brands, but sometimes it’s useful to look at more specific qualities. YouGov recently conducted research on the associations between brands and family values. The recent Family Brands report, conducted for advertising agency Isobel, suggests that association with family values is a useful differential by which we can measure different types [...]
Keep your festive drinking in control November 23, 2009 ONE MINUTE we’re told that drinking alcohol in any quantity is bad for us; the next it appears that red wine is like mother’s milk and should be consumed with gay abandon. Only last week a Spanish study commissioned by the Basque Public Health Department was published, saying that men who drank up to 11 [...]
How to control Xmas party damage November 23, 2009 THE revelry of the Christmas season always carries the same sting in its tail: hangovers, weight gain and liver strain. On average, people gain five pounds over the four-week period, the result of consuming 500 extra calories a day (a few handful of crisps, a mini sausage roll, a couple of glasses of wine and [...]
The prezzies kids will really want to find under the tree this year November 23, 2009 THE TOY WORLD has been set alight by a renewed desire for gift-buying after a year of belt-tightening and anxiety. And boy is there demand – John Lewis is doing a roaring trade (up 15 per cent on last year at this time), helped by sales of its toys of which the bestseller is the [...]
Indulge with a basket of gourmet treats November 23, 2009 IN the season of excess, hampers overflowing with foodie favourites and boozy delights have become central to our idea of seasonal indulgence. And these days they’re better than ever – the organic revolution and revival of interest in quality local food means that the best hampers are bursting with variety and class. Artisan cheeses, mouth-watering [...]
An East End gastropub on the up November 23, 2009 The Princess of Shoreditch76 Paul Street EC2A 4NE,Tel: 020 7729 9270Cost per person without wine: £34 THE NEWLY revamped Princess of Shoreditch describes itself as a “gastropub and restaurant”, which might be seen as having your cake and eating it, but the owners have grand ideas. In the bar downstairs you can get souped-up pub [...]
