London’s billionaire home buyers market doubled last year January 4, 2022 The London market for multi-millionaire and billionaire home buyers doubled during 2021, with Russian and Chinese buyers set to inject new energy into the market this year. According to a survey from Beauchamp Estates, in 2021 there were 32 sales for London homes with price tags topping £15m, compared to 17 sales in 2020. Over [...]
Christmas flight cancellations surge amid Omicron concerns December 27, 2021 This weekend around 7,500 flights were cancelled worldwide amid concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant. According to data tracking website FlightAware, just yesterday 3,273 flights were slashed, with half of cancellations affecting US routes. Today, around 1,925 cancellations were recorded – with Chinese and US routes among the worst hit. China Eastern was [...]
TikTok beats Google for top internet hotspot December 24, 2021 Video sharing platform TikTok has beaten Google as the most popular online destination after soaring in popularity over the course of the pandemic. Fuelled by Gen Z amid social restrictions, the app has held the top position since August, after dethroning Google in February, March and June. Google came first last year, and was surrounded [...]
Market outlook for 2022 December 23, 2021 With 2021 is ending a relatively volatile fashion compared to the calm that prevailed throughout most of the year, is this a recognition of the issues that lie ahead in 2022? Inflation The ‘great reopening’ of the global economy of 2021 prompted a bout of inflation of a magnitude not seen for decades. A spiral [...]
State news agency Xinhua releases NFTs amid China crypto crackdown December 22, 2021 Chinese state media agency Xinhua has announced plans to launch a line of NFTs despite a stringent nation wide crypto ban.
European power prices reach all-time highs amid soaring wholesale gas costs December 21, 2021 European power prices have reached all-time highs of €180 per megawatt-hour(MWh), according to Morningstar’s Utilities Observer report.
Big Sport Quiz of 2021: How much do you remember? December 20, 2021 From teenagers sweeping to Grand Slam tennis titles to England reaching a major football final, an Olympic Games like no other and the introduction of a brand new cricket competition, it has been a hugely eventful year in sport. Off the field it has been just as transformative, with private equity and, increasingly, cryptocurrency and [...]
Fast-fashion giant Missguided edges closer to a rescue deal December 19, 2021 Fashion retailer Missguided is on the cusp of a rescue deal, after a challenging pandemic period for the fast-fashion machine.
China’s Evergrande: not so grand financial statements? December 15, 2021 Evergrande Group is the latest listed company to unexpectedly find itself on the verge of bankruptcy. When businesses are thrust into public view for the wrong reasons, my first thought is always whether trouble could have been coming. To see if the Chinese property development giant’s travails could have been anticipated, I looked at its [...]
Could global cities be the cause of, and solution to, climate change? December 14, 2021 Homer Simpson once famously said: “here’s to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems”. To paraphrase Springfield’s most famous resident, we could say a similar thing about big cities and climate change. Big cities are often seen as part of the problem regarding climate change, responsible for high levels of greenhouse gas [...]