Attention turns to the pub as leisure sector steps out October 11, 2009 This week will give us a glimpse of how consumers are spending their time, with Whitbread, Punch Taverns and PartyGaming all reporting. But it will be opinion-polling firm YouGov that gets a reaction from investors today, as it reports its full-year results. The company said in July that it was beginning to see the benefits [...]
Labour are at an all-time low, but the prices could improve October 11, 2009 WHEN he walked off stage in Manchester last Thursday, having delivered his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, most people in the country were left believing that this time next year David Cameron will be prime minister. Indeed, Cameron is odds-on to be the next PM with most of the high street bookies, so you [...]
How to play the US third quarter earnings season October 11, 2009 THIS week is widely expected to be crunch time for the markets across the world as the third quarter earnings season kicks off in earnest in the US. With companies from across the board reporting – including big hitters like Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, IBM and General Electric – we will finally see whether the rally [...]
GOLD’S RALLY IS WITHOUT FOUNDATION October 11, 2009 JANE FOLEYRESEARCH DIRECTOR, FOREX.COMA bout of profit taking on Friday barely made a dent in gold’s storming rise last week and other commodities were not lagging far behind. Dollar-denominated commodities were underpinned by the creeping feeling that the desirability of the dollar may now be fading. Equally supportive was a rise in inflationary fears, despite [...]
THE TIPSTER METALS’ SHINE BOOSTS THE FTSE MINERS October 11, 2009 RISING commodity prices have put the mining sector in the spotlight and sent their stock prices soaring. But will the bottom line support the rising share price? Miner Rio Tinto reports on Wednesday and it has made considerable ground since the credit crunch and since rival BHP Billiton declined to acquire them. The focus is [...]
Winter breaks are all about curling up in a flash hotel October 11, 2009 THE nights, as you will have noticed, are starting to get darker earlier. Rain is falling more often. Coats, scarves and gloves are beginning to emerge from wardrobes. In short, winter is coming. At this time of year, if you are going to take a European city break you are not going to be doing [...]
Dolder Grand Hotel &Spa October 11, 2009 PERCHED just outside Zurich, the Dolder was built in 1899 as an escape for the good citizens. In 2001, though, it was taken over and given a thoroughly modern makeover, opening in early 2008. The old, castle-style hotel still exists, but is now embraced by a slinky and utterly fabulous new building. The old part [...]
Hotel Plaza Athenee October 11, 2009 THEPlaza Athenee holds a special place in the hearts of millions of women for being the romantic love nest – then love prison – of Carrie Bradshaw in the final episodes of Sex and the City. Now, if you don’t know much about Sex and the City, know this: the man who took Carrie to [...]
Hotel Arts October 11, 2009 THIS 44-floor skyscraper hotel was built for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, but wasn’t finished in time. Nevertheless, it soon became a symbol of the city’s early Nineties lifestyle renaissance and remains one of Europe’s largest paeans to avante-garde contemporary luxury, despite being owned by the Ritz Carlton group. It’s all hustle and bustle in [...]
Hotel Missoni October 11, 2009 YOU wouldn’t necessarily associate the chic-as-you-like Italian fashion house Missoni – famous for its bold, colourful patterns – with the city where tartan is still the curtain design of choice. When you bear in mind that other Missoni hotels are due to open in sunny, jet-setting places like Cape Town, Kuwait City and Bahia in [...]
