City A.M. advent calendar: Our review of 2015 in business news December 23, 2015 December is upon us, which can mean only one thing: time to make a cup of hot cocoa, recline beside a crackling fire, and review the year’s news. From the year in crowdfunding investments to the most diva-ish meltdowns of the year, we’ll have a new treat for you every day until Christmas. [custom id=”112″]
Robot reindeer: Robotics company Boston Dynamics gives us a glimpse of the dystopian future of Christmas December 23, 2015 Thought your job was in danger of being stolen by robots? Spare a thought for Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen et al, who are clearly about to be pushed aside, after US robotics company Boston Dynamics gave us an insight into the dystopian future of Christmas. In what was probably supposed to be a fun festive [...]
Kim Dotcom’s “weirdest Xmas ever” as New Zealand court rules Megaupload founder can be extradited to the US December 23, 2015 Not usually one to understate things, Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom was unusually muted when he tweeted overnight that "this is my weirdest Xmas ever" – shortly before a New Zealand court ruled that he can be extradited to the US to face trial on charges of copyright infringement, racketeering and money laundering. Dotcom (born Kim [...]
Game Digital share price plummets nearly 40 per cent as company issues profit warning December 23, 2015 Game Digital's share price plunged almost 40 per cent after the retailer issued a profit warning this morning. The group revealed a 6.7 per cent drop in group gross transaction value (GTV) to £466.8m for the 21 weeks to 19 December, while UK GTV was down 11.4 per cent to £353.5m, despite a boost from Black [...]
Five charts that show how millennials’ Christmas celebrations differ from traditional ones December 23, 2015 Gearing up for a Christmas dinner with pudding, turkey and all the trimmings? Let us take a stab and guess that you’re 35 years or older. As it turns out, where you’ll be spending your Christmas day reveals more than you might think about your age. Not to mention what you’re putting on the table [...]
Police issue advice for 999 calls over Christmas: “Where is the best place to get a bacon sandwich right now” is not an emergency December 23, 2015 "Where is the best place to get a bacon sandwich right now?" This question might seem like an emergency of epic proportions to some people (especially those who have overindulged the night before) but it's really not a matter of life-or-death. However it is just one example of a number of mind-boggling phone calls made [...]
Christmas gifts 2015: How late can you leave your shopping at Argos, M&S, Currys, John Lewis, Zara, Amazon, Harrods and more? December 23, 2015 Left your Christmas shopping until the last minute this year again? You’re not alone. Christmas Eve is when the real festive rush sets in, with manic shoppers dashing to get everything done before Father Christmas is due. Last year, payments processor Worldpay estimated it was the single busiest day of the year, processing 26m transactions [...]
Christmas weather 2015: Storm Eva could bring more flooding to northern parts of UK, while Met Office predicts “green” rather than white Christmas December 23, 2015 Christmas 2015 could be one of the warmest on record – but Storm Eva is expected to hit the British Isles today and tomorrow, meaning last minute shoppers (and Father Christmas) could be grappling with heavy winds. The Met Office has issued weather warnings for the north west, Wales and north east because of Storm Eva, [...]
Britons spend less on drinking out in November after Rugby World Cup hangover December 23, 2015 Consumer spending on going out and entertainment fell by eight per cent in November as Britons tightened their belts ahead of Christmas. Households spent £17 less on leisure activities last month compared with October, dragging year-on-year spending down by two per cent overall, according to pub group Greene King’s latest Leisure Spend Tracker. Drinking out [...]
Christmas quiz 2015: How much do you remember of the year in business, politics and economics? December 23, 2015 Deloitte chief economist Ian Stewart asks some of the trickiest business, politics and economics questions of the year. Answers can be found below. 1 According to the OECD, Mexicans work the longest hours. In 2014, the average Mexican worker put in 2,228 hours, equivalent to a 43-hour working week with no holidays. Which country’s workers [...]