Poll shows workers unaware of pension auto-enrolment plans September 24, 2012 MUCH OF the UK’s population is clueless about auto-enrolment, despite the fact workers and businesses will be impacted from next week, a survey from Friends Life revealed yesterday. A full 60 per cent of respondents to the poll said they didn’t know what auto-enrolment was, and a further 27 per cent said they didn’t know [...]
US recovery looks in doubt as Fed activity index collapses September 24, 2012 THE US recovery faltered in August, according to the Chicago Fed’s national activity index released yesterday. The headline indicator fell from minus 0.12 in July to minus 0.87 in August – below the minus 0.7 level that is consistent with weak recovery. Figures above zero indicate more robust growth. The three-month moving average also slipped, [...]
Car sales get on the road September 24, 2012 Consumers are piling into the car market, according to data released by Sainsbury’s Bank yesterday. Some 9.8m people intend to buy a car in the coming six months, the data shows, a three per cent jump on the previous six-months. But the report also warned that many car purchases would be on the more frugal [...]
Taiwan industrial output up September 24, 2012 Taiwan’s industrial production surprised analysts by growing in August, even as ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) cut its forecast for the country’s growth. Industrial production grew 1.8 per cent during August, putting it 1.9 per cent up on a year previously – economists had been expecting the data to reveal a 0.4 per cent yearly [...]
City Moves | Who’s switching Jobs September 24, 2012 Winston & Strawn Michael Madden has been appointed to the role of managing partner in the law firm’s London office. He replaces Thomas Benz. Madden currently leads Winston & Strawn’s commercial litigation presence in London, and he has particular experience in corporate acquisitions and divestitures. Deloitte David Hodgson has been appointed as a healthcare and life [...]
US stocks drop as Caterpillar slows the Dow September 24, 2012 US stocks edged lower yesterday as a disappointing forecast from Caterpillar and weak German data increased concerns that global growth may remain sluggish. Just before the close, Caterpillar cut its earnings forecast for 2015. Its shares fell 0.9 per cent to $90.87 and were the top drag on the Dow. An index of German business [...]
FTSE dips on poor European data and weakness in price of copper September 24, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index fell yesterday, led by miners, as dull European data kept the focus on a gloomy economic outlook, tempering the boost given to markets by recent central bank stimulus moves in Europe and the United States. Germany’s Ifo index of business sentiment fell for a fifth month running, bucking expectations for a [...]
Best of the Brokers September 24, 2012 GAMES WORKSHOP Peel Hunt yesterday reiterated its “buy” recommendation for Games Workshop and raised its target price for the company from 700p to 750p. The broker said following the group’s annual general meeting held last week “it was particularly clear” that the substantial changes over the last few years have resulted in a much stronger [...]
The ideas emerging from Lib Dem conference dissolve under scrutiny September 24, 2012 SOMETIMES, it’s hard not to feel rather sorry for the Liberal Democrats. After the public relations disaster of Nick Clegg’s toe-curling apology on tuition fees last week, the party faithful have gathered in Brighton only to be battered by violent storms. The Lib Dem leadership was hoping to pilot a course to sunnier political climes [...]
Frustrating UK tax quirks can easily mean missed mortgage payments September 24, 2012 WHEN HMRC wrongly changed my tax code last October, I was paying 40 per cent of my total income as tax for six months. It had a huge impact on my finances – my take home pay went below my mortgage costs. And HMRC couldn’t correct it, despite admitting its error. In the end I [...]
