Marks and Spencer is narrowing the gap with high street rival Next, says Moody’s February 8, 2016 Marks & Spencer is closing in on its high street rival Next after boosting the profitability in its troubled clothing business by bringing more of its design in house and sourcing directly from suppliers, according to analysts at credit ratings agency Moody’s. In a note published the morning, Moody’s said Next’s credit profile is stronger [...]
How Uber, Airbnb and other sharing economy platforms can win over hostile regulators and reach their full potential February 5, 2016 New research by Europe Economics has put the potential of the Sharing Economy at up to £572bn a year in savings across the EU thanks to increases in the utilisation of assets like cars, homes and consumer goods. Right now those assets often spend most of the time gathering dust, costing their owners money. They [...]
Britain needs a free market energy revolution to keep the lights on February 5, 2016 Over the past decade and a half, Britain’s energy bills have soared. When wages stagnated and demand fell, electricity prices kept going up. Even the recent oil price collapse has barely cut household bills. Why? Politicians like to point the finger at the big six energy providers. They accuse the suppliers of acting like a [...]
How much does a lawyer cost? Top lawyers’ hourly rates are now so high that they’re restricting access to justice, as researchers slam the tradition of the billable hour February 5, 2016 Top corporate law firms have hiked their fees so high that it's now preventing access to justice. According to a report released today by the Centre for Policy Studies, an hour of a partner's time at a leading London law firm could land people with a bill for £1,000. The researchers blame a increase in [...]
Why don’t more people switch banks? Because it costs nothing to do so February 3, 2016 Most of us don’t love our banks. We have all experienced the unanswered letter, the seemingly interminable waits on hold before being put through to someone who gives the impression of auditioning for the infamous “computer says no” television sketch. Yet we are surprisingly loyal to our current accounts. Figures from Bacs suggest that around [...]
Pressure mounts on legal sector to make services easier for customers to understand as another consumer body joins the debate February 2, 2016 Legal sector regulators are facing further calls to make the marketplace easier for consumers to understand, as yet another consumer-focused body has voiced concerns. A report out today by the Legal Services Consumer Panel urges regulators to do more to make sure consumers can easily access useful information to help them make informed decisions. The study [...]
TSB results: Chief executive Paul Pester says the big banks have it far too easy as his challenger bank reports 22 per cent increase in customer lending for 2015 January 28, 2016 TSB Bank chief executive Paul Pester told City A.M. that the challenger bank "definitely went from strength to strength" in 2015, as the lender announced its full-year results this morning. The retail and commercial bank, which was carved out of Lloyds Banking Group in 2014, reported profits were ahead of expectations, with management profit before tax of £105.7m, while [...]
Tesco “seriously” breached grocery code, says supplier watchdog Groceries Code Adjudicator January 26, 2016 Tesco has been given a slap on the wrist over its relationship with suppliers during the lead-up to the accounting scandal which rocked the supermarket in 2014. Supplier watchdog the Grocery Code Adjudicator (GCA) said Tesco seriously breach of the code of practice, prioritising its own finances over treating suppliers fairly and acting unreasonably when delaying payments to suppliers, often for lengthy periods [...]
Iranian banks in talks with regulators over resuming London operations January 25, 2016 Two Iranian banks in London are in talks with UK regulators over resuming operations, according to reports. Melli Bank and Persia International Bank had heavy restrictions placed on them in 2009 when economic sanctions were put on Iran. They are now looking to fulfil Bank of England criteria for financial firms, sources told Reuters. The [...]
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says a Labour government under Jeremy Corbyn would break up the big banks January 21, 2016 A Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn would look to break up Britain’s biggest banks, shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said. Speaking at a Co-operatives UK conference in Manchester today, McDonnell said: “Small businesses in general, and not just co-operatives, face dreadful difficulties in getting the funding they need from our high-street banks. “No other major [...]