Audi A4’s new rival: Peugeot 508 September 20, 2011 I DON’T know of anyone that owns a Peugeot 407. I don’t even know of anyone that ever considered owning one, even second hand. This is possibly because it is French and big French cars don’t sell so well in the UK. Or maybe it’s because it wasn’t much of a looker. French, for sure. [...]
CAR TALK September 20, 2011 CHARITY HYBRID CAR AUCTION The UK’s first Fisker Karma Sedan – the luxurious electric hybrid sports car we waxed lyrical about last month – is being auctioned for charity on 8 October. The event, called ARTiculate, takes place at The Roundhouse, Camden and is in aid of Pratham UK, an NGO dedicated to the education [...]
IMF warns US and Europe could lurch into recession September 20, 2011 Europe and the United States could slip back into recession next year unless they quickly tackle economic problems that could infect the rest of the world, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday. The IMF said financial volatility had increased dramatically as investors worried about an escalating debt crisis in the euro zone and a [...]
Mortgage lending highest since July 2009 September 20, 2011 Gross mortgage lending in Britain last month rose to its highest level in more than two years, rebounding from July’s weak reading to stand 10 percent higher than a year ago, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said. Gross mortgage lending in August came in at an estimated £13.4bn, up from £12.6bn in July and £12.1bn [...]
Clegg: Banking reform could happen before 2019 September 20, 2011 Wide-ranging banking reforms could be in place well before the 2019 deadline proposed earlier this month by a government-backed commission, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said on Tuesday. John Vickers, head of the Independent Banking Commission, the body set up by the government to come up with ideas for reform, recommended that the changes should [...]
Lloyds launches £1bn sale of property loans September 20, 2011 Part-nationalised bank Lloyds has launched the sale of a portfolio of commercial property loans worth £1bn, sources told Reuters. The property loan sale is being handled by investment bank JP Morgan Cazenove and is part of Lloyds’ ongoing moves to shed non-core assets and restructure its balance sheet. Lloyds had said in August that it [...]
Debenhams profits ahead of forecasts September 20, 2011 Debenhams forecast year profit ahead of analysts’ average forecasts after it cut prices to grow market share in a tough trading environment. “Whilst the group gross margin rate for the year (to 3 September) will be flat to slightly down versus last year, headline profit before tax for the 53 week financial year is expected [...]
S&P cuts Italy rating September 20, 2011 Standard and Poor’s cut its ratings on ly by one notch, warning of a deteriorating growth outlook and damaging political uncertainty, in a move that took markets by surprise and added to pressure on the debt-stressed euro zone. S&P’s downgraded its unsolicited ratings on Italy to A/A-1 from A+/A-1+ and kept its outlook on negative, [...]
Let’s twist again … like the Federal Reserve did back in 1961 September 19, 2011 INVESTORS expect the Federal Reserve to pave the way for “Operation Twist” this week, a method of stimulus first used in 1961 that was named after the popular dance. Markets think the Fed will opt for the Twist instead of steaming ahead with a controversial third phase of quantitative easing, dubbed QE3. With few signs [...]
S&P downgrades Italy while Greek aid talks drag on September 19, 2011 ITALY suffered a shock downgrade from Standard & Poor’s late last night, which the ratings agency blamed on the political squabbling that is preventing the government from reacting properly to its financial woes. S&P said the downgrade by one notch to A/A-1 also comes with a negative outlook, warning that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s austerity [...]
