Public sector cuts aren’t depressing growth – but private sector austerity is November 5, 2012 AMONTH tomorrow, George Osborne will deliver his Autumn Statement. On current policies, the Office for Budget Responsibility will suggest he will fail to meet his target of a falling debt-to-GDP ratio by the end of the parliament. This leads to a question: should Osborne announce further fiscal consolidation or should he abandon the target? Nick [...]
Why the coalition must freeze rates on retail premises November 5, 2012 THERE IS nothing sexy about business rates. They don’t have much globe-trotting glamour and perhaps that’s part of the problem. As taxes go, they’re more a cup of tea than a café au lait. One of the government’s flagship business pledges is to make the UK the most competitive tax regime in the G20. It’s [...]
As the mayor announces a rise in London’s Living Wage, does it make economic sense? November 5, 2012 YES Boris Johnson Since its introduction in 2005 an estimated 11,500 workers have benefited from the London Living Wage rate. Over a full year, this year’s rise will put around £4.5m into the pockets of lower-paid Londoners. Recent research from Queen Mary University showed that introducing the London Living Wage improves staff retention rates for [...]
Rapid responses November 5, 2012 Green shoots I took it as a sure sign that we were in the grip of a severe bear market when your regular Monday feature “Bill of the Week” was quietly canned. So it was with interest that I saw a “green shoot” in yesterday’s edition, with the Capitalist reporting on a thundering bill chalked [...]
New leaders may help China to boost growth November 5, 2012 THREE ghosts have haunted the global economy in 2012: the Eurozone crisis; the looming US fiscal cliff; and decelerating growth in China’s economy. But as worries over China lessen, traders will be relieved that one of these ghosts may soon be exorcised. After the speed of GDP growth began to decline towards the end of [...]
The economic outcomes of a close call election November 5, 2012 FX360 AS AMERICANS go to the polls to decide their President for the next four years, the race is at deadlock, with both candidates still in pursuit of every possible vote. Once the ballots have been counted in the early hours of tomorrow morning, it is hard to imagine that there won’t be some degree [...]
The Tipster | Come FlyBe with me November 5, 2012 EUROPEAN carrier FlyBe Group has been punished by high fuel prices and cooling demand from business passengers. Shares have slid by almost 30 per cent in the last 12 months, and traders will be looking to Thursday’s interim statement for guidance on how the company expects to benefit from its partnership with the Nordic carrier [...]
How the dollar could predict the US victor November 5, 2012 Forget the exit polls and track how the greenback reacts tomorrow TUSCAWARAS. Volusia. Arapahoe. Investors looking for early signs of the outcome of the US presidential election tomorrow will want to scrutinise results from these three swing counties in Ohio, Florida, and Colorado respectively. Or they could just watch the dollar. The dollar, rather than [...]
Nuts and seeds vs nip and tuck November 5, 2012 The real secrets of beautiful skin Dr Howard Murad is not your run-of-the-mill dermatologist. Despite the fact he’s amassed quite the skincare empire, he’s a firm believer that time spent away from your email, eating healthily and exercising is far more important than splashing out on the latest must-have cream. It should come as no [...]
Who says fitness isn’t fun? Bounce yourself slim with these exo-stilts November 5, 2012 Mustering THE motivation to get out for a run during the winter months can be tough. Running through rain, sleet and sub-zero temperatures just isn’t any fun, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise. Enter the Kangaroo Jumps: the more-than-faintly-ridiculous keep-fit method that is slowly carving out a niche in London. Keep [...]
