Premier League: Mourinho talks up title as Blues top at Christmas December 22, 2014 STOKE CITY 0 CHELSEA 2 CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho admitted his side showcased the hallmark of title winners after the Blues re-established a three-point cushion at the Premier League summit with victory over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium last night. Skipper John Terry celebrated his 650th club appearance by netting his first goal since [...]
Cocoa price up, coal price down: Why Santa is having his merriest Christmas in years December 22, 2014 The economic downturn was a tough time for most of us – and just because he runs on fairy dust and sparkles, doesn't mean Santa Claus was left out. Elves striking over low pay (probably), the cost of hay going through the roof – you name it, Father Christmas was hit with it. Thankfully, a [...]
Christmas comes early in the Singleton house: Sports Direct non-executive director gives wife £244,300 in shares December 22, 2014 A non-executive director at Sports Direct has given £244,300 worth of company shares to his wife “by way of gift”. In a company announcement made earlier today, the British retailing group revealed that David Singleton gave 35,000 of the shares to Elizabeth Singleton. The shares, each worth 698 pence, were held beneficially by him. [...]
Which were the best and worst investments of 2014? December 22, 2014 This year low interest rates have seen investors who bet on traditional investments receive returns tantamount to chickenfeed. Perhaps we should have given up before we'd all even started? Perhaps not. Investors who plumped for chocolate, property, the US dollar and Aim-listed company Fitbug would have watched as their money practically grew on trees. Conversely, [...]
Labour support in Scotland falls to half that of the SNP December 22, 2014 North of Hadrian’s wall, Labour could be in for a shellacking. A new poll by Survation has revealed that support for Scottish Labour has fallen to around half of that enjoyed by the SNP. The poll, for Monday’s Daily Record, revealed that 24 per cent of Scots plan to vote for Labour in the 2015 [...]
The Ghost of Christmas Past visits London (in nine remarkable images) December 22, 2014 Being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past doesn't always have to be life-changing. Trafalgar Square 1948/2014 (Source: Getty) This series of pictures, by Getty photographer Peter Macdiarmid, show how much (and how little) London has changed in the past decades. The pictures are composites of originals, dating back as far [...]
Billy cycling December 22, 2014 The Elephant and Castle roundabout is infamous among cyclists. In 2013, the last year for which we have complete data, there were 15 incidents involving cyclists on or next to the junction. In May last year, Abdelkhalak Lahyani, a married man of 47, was knocked from his bike as he cycled to work at the [...]
Hong Kong stock exchange chief exec Charles Li writes to Santa to lament loss of Alibaba IPO December 22, 2014 Writing a letter to Santa: At primary school it’s expected, for early teens it’s understandable, for sixth formers it’s a little strange. But for the chief executive of one of the world’s biggest stock exchanges it’s downright bizarre and just a bit bonkers. Charles Li, chief executive of the Hong Kong stock exchange [...]
Eight charts that sum up 2014 December 22, 2014 This year will be remembered for the fragmentation of mainstream politics, Scotland's near exit from the 307-year old union and an economy which the Bank's chief economist Andy Haldane described as "writhing in both agony and ecstasy." What does all that look like? Here are eight charts that sum up the year. (Source: Getty) 1. [...]
Will 2014 be a white Christmas in the UK? According to the Met Office and Ladbrokes, the chances are slight December 22, 2014 As we enter the business end of the festive season, many people will be wondering what the odds are of a white Christmas. That depends on the definition. The most widely definition for this isn’t all that practical: rather than enough of the white stuff to build a snowman or igloo, all that is needed [...]