SpaceX is getting ready to launch its Falcon Heavy – the world’s most powerful operational rocket September 8, 2015 Not one to be perturbed by a couple of missed landings, SpaceX – the space company founded by Tesla entrepreneur Elon Musk – has announced plans to attempt one of its boldest rocket launches yet: sending the Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful rocket, into space for the first time. At a conference in [...]
European stocks show resilience to China market fall September 7, 2015 European markets went up today, showing resilience to yet another decline on China's key index. The FTSE 100 closed 0.5 per cent higher at £60.75, while the Germany's Dax and France's Cac 40 rose 0.7 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively. Read more: China's stock market turmoil could spell bad news for London [...]
UK is home to Europe’s highest number of million-euro banker salaries September 7, 2015 The UK has Europe's highest proportion of bankers who take home a pay packet of €1m (£730,000) or more, according to new figures from the European Banking Authority (EBA). The number of bankers earning this sum as a combination of salary and bonuses in the UK was 2,086 in 2013. The next highest was Germany, [...]
Borders Railway link reopens to public after being closed for half a century September 7, 2015 Britain's longest new domestic railway line to be built in over a century is operating again, after being closed for 46 years. The Borders Railway will operate a half-hourly service between Edinburgh and Tweedbank, a village in the Scottish Borders. The trains will run on weekdays only and the journey takes around an hour [...]
Royal Mail buys stake in Australian tech start-up Market Engine Global September 7, 2015 Royal Mail has bought a stake in Australian technology start-up Market Engine Global. The size of the stake and the amount paid by the FTSE 100-listed company have not been disclosed, but the move represents Royal Mail's continued attempt to diversify its business. Read more: Royal Mail posts flat revenue as letter sending continues [...]
Milk emergency: Farmers face water cannons as they stage huge protest in Brussels against falling prices September 7, 2015 Today, thousands of farmers have driven their tractors into Brussels to protest against falling milk prices in Europe. They are gathering outside the headquarters of the European Union, bringing traffic to a standstill. The protest coincides with an emergency meeting held by the EU Agriculture Council in the Belgian capital. Anti-riot police have [...]
EU migrant crisis: This is how the chancellor plans to pay for thousands of incoming refugees September 6, 2015 George Osborne plans to pay for thousands of incoming refugees by dipping into the UK's £12bn international aid budget. In an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr show today, the chancellor said he would use some of this money to help local councils house the refugees: The foreign aid budget can provide the [...]
China’s stock market turmoil is near its end, says head of central bank September 6, 2015 Chinese stock markets have almost recovered from their fall into correction, according to Zhou Xiachuan, governor of China's central bank. During the G20 meeting of finance ministers this weekend, he said the stock market correction resulting from turbulence in recent weeks was “largely in place”, after the government took steps to stabilise the economy. [...]
Chancellor George Osborne’s bank tax comes under attack from Labour and SNP September 6, 2015 Small challenger banks and building societies will receive a boost if Labour and the SNP are successful in their attempt to amend Osborne's new bank tax. In his budget this year, the chancellor announced plans to replace the increasingly unpopular bank levy with an eight per cent surcharge on profits for banks of all [...]
G20: Finance ministers say low interest rates not enough to boost global economy September 6, 2015 Finance ministers from the world's 20 biggest economies agreed yesterday that keeping interest rates at their current low levels won't be enough to prevent a global economic slowdown. Following a two-day meeting in Ankara, Turkey, they said a coordinated introduction of other reforms was needed to encourage growth. "Monetary policies will continue to [...]
