Why Balderton Capital’s new $305m European Fund is a great sign for London’s startups April 1, 2014 Balderton Capital – the tech VC fund whose investment record includes breakout success from the likes of Lovefilm and Betfair – announced a new European $305m early stage investment fund this morning. That the fund is specifically targeting the early Series A round of investment is a great sign for London’s fledgling tech community, which [...]
Here’s how academics are predicting job losses using Twitter April 1, 2014 Estimating economic data accurately is notoriously hard to do, but a team of economists may be making that process easier, using Twitter. They've developed a helpful new forecasting method, as described in their new paper, "Using social media to measure labor market flows". The study does what it says on the tin, examining the usefulness [...]
German unemployment falls by 12,000 April 1, 2014 The headline unemployment rate of Europe's motor has fallen again. With unemployment dropping by a seasonally adjusted 12,000 in March, that takes the overall rate of unemployment to 6.7 percent. Analysts had been expecting to see 6.8 per cent unemployment reported this month. Last month's estimate of unemployment has been revised lower, down from 6.8 [...]
Barbarians at the train controls: How KKR is making a move on European rail March 31, 2014 Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts, the private equity shop famously given the sobriquet ‘barbarians at the gates’ for its buyout deals, has taken a highly significant step today – backing a new locomotive leasing company. KKR has helped finance a deal by the European Locomotive Leasing company (ELL), a new venture led by the former chief [...]
Move aside Bitcoin, here comes HullCoin? March 31, 2014 Hull City Council is jumping on the wave of enthusiasm surrounding cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin and Dogecoin, with the launch of its own currency, HullCoin. Hyperlocal currencies are nothing new with the Brixton Pound, Stroud Pound, and Totnes Pound having all grown from a desire to protect local business by ensuring value stays within a local [...]
The most important economic event this year starts tomorrow March 31, 2014 Japan’s sales tax rises from five per cent today to eight per cent tomorrow, the first increase in 17 years, and an experiment that the rest of the world should be paying attention to. The tax is a self-imposed test of Abenomics, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s primarily monetary-policy driven stimulus effort. Despite a spate of [...]
Pictures: Bank of England Museum reopens with exhibition on curious objects March 31, 2014 The Bank of England Museum has reopened its doors today after a three-month revamp, and what better way to mark the occasion than by launching a new exhibition featuring some of the more unusual items from its vast collections that have never been shown before. Among the curiosities on show is a secret ballot box [...]
Three things Boris wants to build at Heathrow instead of a new runway March 31, 2014 The Mayor of London has been a vocal supporter of a new airport to the east of London, so much so that one of the options was at one stage nicknamed Boris Island. Today, Boris Johnson has set out three possible uses for Heathrow if it were to close and make way for an East [...]
Allister Heath to leave City A.M. New editor will lead digital expansion March 31, 2014 City A.M., London's most popular business newspaper, today announces that its editor, Allister Heath, is to leave the company. Heath, 36, is to join the Daily Telegraph as deputy editor. Heath has edited City A.M. for six years, during which time the free daily title has gained readers and influence in the capital's business community [...]
Bank of England will take just one day to decide to do nothing this April March 31, 2014 Other commitments will keep the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee from taking their usual two days to ponder changes to monetary policy this April. Instead of meeting for both the 9 April and 10 April, interest rate setters will (probably) decide that it's not worth changing policy in just one day. The Bank hasn't [...]
