Anthony Joshua: Charles Martin’s IBF heavyweight belt “belongs to me” February 20, 2016 Not many boxers get offered a world title fight just over two years into their professional career – and even fewer would feel ready to take one so early. But Anthony Joshua is a cut above most boxers and when the opportunity to fight unbeaten American Charles Martin for his IBF heavyweight belt arised, he didn’t [...]
UK public finances: Still no scope to loosen the fiscal stance in the Budget next month as January public sector net borrowing shows record surplus but falls short of expectations February 19, 2016 The UK recorded the largest public finances surplus for any January since 2008, but came in below expectations, indicating no scope to loosen the country's fiscal stance in the Budget next month. In January public sector net borrowing showed a surplus of £11.2bn, data from the Office for National Statistics showed, but was short of [...]
Heavyweight Anthony Joshua joins Andy Murray, Saul Alvarez and Steph Curry at Under Armour after signing three-year deal February 18, 2016 British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with US sportswear brand Under Armour. Joshua, who is set for his first world title fight against American Charles Martin in April, joins a roster of athletes that also includes fellow countryman Andy Murray and American football icon Tom Brady. But it is the [...]
Ladies who don’t lunch: Maike Currie talks to financial services entrepreneur Joanne Smith about dry January and why compliance is the “new rock ‘n roll” February 18, 2016 My lunch date with Joanne Smith, financial services veteran turned entrepreneur, is long overdue. I have been using stalling tactics and to be honest it’s due to her area of expertise: compliance. (Read: boring box-ticker.) But it’s a New Year and, cloaked in noble resolutions, I finally make the time to meet her at a [...]
As consumer price index inflation reaches a 12-month high, should we expect price rises to accelerate? February 17, 2016 Ben Brettell, senior economist at Hargreaves Lansdown, says Yes. Yes – but not by much, and not because of any inflationary pressures in the underlying economy. The headline rate of inflation continues to be largely driven by volatile fuel prices. Throughout 2015, fuel prices were registering double-digit falls compared with a year earlier. But given how [...]
Three Little Birds in Brixton Jamaican restaurant review and the Shuang Shuang Chinese hot pot conveyor belt disaster February 2, 2016 Last time I didn’t like a restaurant, someone got so cross they threatened to report me to the Independent Press Standards Organisation for the sheer gall of having an opinion, which, in this case, happened to be that their restaurant was rubbish. So in the interests of not making someone else cross, I shouldn’t write [...]
Under Armour share price soars as Steph Curry’s basketball shoes helps revenue beat expectations January 28, 2016 Under Armour jumped more than 18 per cent in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange after its fourth-quarter results destroyed expectations. The figures Full-year net revenues increased 31 per cent to $3.96bn (£2.76bn) – beating the sportswear brand's outlook of $3.91bn. The biggest performance in the company's portfolio was found in its footwear division [...]
Goldman Sach’s head of commodities research Jeffrey Currie: More oil price volatility as storage hits capacity January 26, 2016 The global supply glut means millions of barrels of oil are sitting in tanks at oil fields and ports waiting for export across the world – but Goldman Sachs has warned storage space is running out. There’s no precise figure on oil storage capacity, with very little data outside of the OECD. But Goldman's head of commodities research, Jeffrey Currie, [...]
Carphone Warehouse to close 134 stores as Dixons Carphone merger success continues January 26, 2016 More than 130 standalone Carphone Warehouse stores are to be closed, as the business continues to merge its retail arms. Parent company Dixons Carphone said it had decided to roll its three-in-one store format, which includes PC World and Currys alongside the phone specialist, out across the whole UK and Ireland market having received a big thumbs up from customers [...]
Dixons Carphone share price falls despite beating expectations for Christmas, as its warns on full year currency impact January 26, 2016 Dixons Carphone announced a five per cent increase in group sales over the Christmas period this morning, beating expectations. Like for like sales in the UK and Ireland were up five per cent for the 10 weeks ending 9 January. This beat consensus expectations of a four per cent rise. Last year the group's UK sales [...]