Ethel Austin closes 114 stores February 24, 2010 More than 1,000 staff at Ethel Austin lost their jobs yesterday after the stricken fashion retailer’s administrator was forced to close 114 stores. The move came after the Merseyside-based chain, together with Au Naturale, its homewares sister company, fell into administration this month, for the second time in two years, after poor Christmas trading and [...]
A brilliant debut novel that tells of tragedy in the City rings all too true February 24, 2010 THIS BLEEDING CITY BY ALEX PRESTON Faber, £12.99 You’d have thought the time had passed for another book about the City and its pre-crunch pulse of money, aspiration and the personal damnation all that can lead to. Certainly, there have been countless stories about “what really went on” – the strip clubs, the arrogance, the [...]
Craig has world at his feet February 23, 2010 HE may have only been on the scene five minutes, but Craig Kieswetter is almost nailed on to retain his place in the side for the three one-day internationals with Bangladesh, starting on Sunday. True, he couldn’t have wished for a gentler introduction to international cricket than in the form of a Bangladesh Cricket Board [...]
Approvals of home loans drop sharply February 23, 2010 MORTGAGE approvals fell sharply in January in response to inflated December activity and adverse weather conditions, the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) said yesterday. Data from the BBA showed that the number of mortgage approvals for house purchase fell to 35,083 last month from an elevated 45,650 in December, which had been boosted by the end [...]
British Airways cabin crew vote for strike February 22, 2010 BRITISH Airways (BA) cabin crew have voted in favour of industrial action over pay and conditions. According to the Unite Union, which represents the 12,000 crew, 81 per cent of the 9,000 who returned ballots voted in favour of a strike. Unite assistant general secretary Len McCluskey said: “With this overwhelming vote in the teeth [...]
ECONOMIC DIARY February 21, 2010 AFTER a week packed with economic data releases, the next five days promise to be a bit quieter. Last Thursday, the US Federal Reserve hiked the rate it charged banks to hold reserves in a surprise move that signalled a return towards more normal monetary policy. On Wednesday Fed chairman Ben Bernanke will be giving [...]
THE TIPSTER TIME TO GO DEFENSIVE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO February 21, 2010 VOLATILITY has been rising since the start of this year and all of these extreme moves can make investors dizzy. Now is a good time to switch to a more defensive stance on equities and invest in the likes of supermarkets and energy providers. These companies tend to perform strongly when risk aversion returns to [...]
Union loses legal scrap with BA February 19, 2010 THE Unite union has failed in a High Court action against British Airways over a shake-up up in the way they work. It claimed the changes – including freezing pay and cutting crew on long-haul flights – were introduced without consultation. The union had been set to strike over the issues over Christmas, but a [...]
Retail sales down by 1.8pc February 19, 2010 UK retail sales fell by 1.8 per cent between December and January – the biggest drop in 18 months – according to official figures. The reduction in sales volumes in the month after the Christmas period plunged three times faster than analysts had forecast. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) report said unusually heavy snow [...]
Miko De Beauchene looks pure Gold to add to tremendous Haydock record February 18, 2010 THE expression ‘horses for courses’ could not be more appropriate when it comes to weighing up the chances of MIKO DE BEAUCHENE in bottomless ground at Haydock. Venetia Williams’ 10-year-old is attempting to win the Blue Square Gold Cup for a second time and represents terrific each-way value at 10/1. The 2007 Welsh Grand National [...]