High street has its worst sales growth since May December 6, 2011 SALES on the British high street dwindled to their lowest level of annual growth since May last month, despite retailers slashing prices to try and drum up a pre-Christmas rush. Figures from the British Retail Consortium showed that like-for-like sales volumes were 1.6 per cent lower than a year ago in November, though total sales [...]
Why I backed the City A.M. charity appeal December 5, 2011 IF WE’RE serious about tackling global poverty, then aid alone isn’t going to do it. It is the power of private enterprise that can tip the scales. 90 per cent of the jobs created around the world are provided not by governments but by the private sector. Currently, more than 2.5bn people have no bank [...]
Pig out on the rebound December 5, 2011 WHEN six central banks staged a coordinated intervention last week to lower the cost of dollar swap rates, they gave the European markets a breath of life on the hope that this would sow greater liquidity into the interbank market. The injection of dollar liquidity into the market sent investors trotting out of dollar positions [...]
Social media to help Cyber Monday grow December 4, 2011 TODAY’S Cyber Monday is set to be the year’s busiest online Christmas shopping day, beating last year by 15 per cent, with retail websites expected to receive 85m hits as the festive frenzy picks up pace. Encouraged by the nearing big day and last week’s November pay packet, while leaving enough time for parcel deliveries, [...]
MTR eyes two UK rail routes December 4, 2011 MTR CORPORATION, the company that operates Hong Kong’s metro system, is believed to be working on plans to bid for two more British rail franchises. The Hong Kong group is keen to operate the c2c (Essex Thameside) and Thameslink franchises, according to weekend reports. The Department for Transport is understood to be inviting bids for [...]
THE TIPSTER December 4, 2011 WHEN Victrex reports its earnings on Tuesday, analysts are expecting revenues of around £93m, up from £75m this time last year. The maker of polymers’s shares have slid 27 per cent from their highs in July of 1,600p, but it looks like it is on the way back from lows of 1,020p. Strong gains and [...]
Greene King enjoys strong profits boost December 1, 2011 GREENE King, the pub owner and brewer, yesterday reported higher half-year profits, after benefiting from an upturn in trading as consumers continued to eat out in their local pubs. The 212-year-old firm, which runs 2,410 pubs and restaurants including the Loch Fyne seafood chain, said the consumer environment remained tough, with cost inflation rising ahead [...]
City shops open their doors to weekend trade December 1, 2011 IN a push to encourage shopping in the City, the Royal Exchange and Leadenhall Market will open this Saturday and Cheapside will be pedestrianised. This will be the first time Cheapside has been open for business on a weekend in over a century. Over 150 stores will be trading, with many offering discounts and complimentary treats [...]
DRAGHI TAKES A NEW APPROACH TO BACKING THE EURO IN ECB PROMO December 1, 2011 AS European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi stood in front of the European Parliament yesterday and delivered a gloomy outlook on the future of the euro, a very different Draghi was doing the rounds on YouTube, in the latest piece of pro-euro propaganda released by the ECB. In a video introduced by soft focus images [...]
Christmas gift guide December 1, 2011 • Stocking fillers • Gadgets • Ages 16-24 • For men • For women