Europe’s debt crisis is getting worse July 14, 2011 EMPIRES seem to be going out of fashion. It is not just News Corp, Rupert Murdoch’s media colossus, which is in trouble; the Eurozone, a very different political conglomerate, is unravelling in front of our eyes. The next step in its demise will come when the results of the stress tests for Europe’s 91 largest [...]
Boston’s calling July 10, 2011 CAPE ANN: SMALL-TOWN BEAUTY MANCHESTER-by-the Sea is a little town about 30 miles north of Boston. It’s got white picket fences, a harbour, a tiny train station, two ice cream shops and an old diner called the Coffee Cup that’s recently been bought by a plucky, Italian-American mother and daughter called Christine and Kathy DeSalvo, [...]
GREECE VOTES TO CUT ITS DEFICIT June 30, 2011 MARKETS rallied after the Greek parliament fell into line yesterday and voted through the budget laws needed to qualify for a €12bn (£10.8bn) aid tranche. The result means that Greece has passed the last hurdle standing in the way of the rescue funds that prevent a disorderly default in the next month. The aid will [...]
Beware: frisky business June 22, 2011 A TUC survey showed that a quarter of all long-term relationships in the UK started at work. Hardly surprising, given most of our time is spent there. But this happens against a backdrop of employers’ growing restrictions on office romances. While it’s understandable that employers are fearful of the consequences and the impact on their [...]
Inflating away the UK’s national debt June 9, 2011 ONCE again, the Bank of England chose to keep interest rates on hold yesterday. It is now looking like it won’t be raising rates until next year at the earliest. Forget about strict inflation targeting; its new policy appears to be to keep monetary policy as loose as possible for the foreseeable future, as long [...]
Vincent Tchenguiz interview: the Mayfair tycoon fighting to clear his name June 3, 2011 An afternoon with Vincent Tchenguiz, the property tycoon fighting to clear his name of fraud allegations linked to the collapse of Icelandic bank Kaupthing, makes you realise why cases like this take a team of accountants years to unravel. For nearly 90 minutes, I’m bombarded with figures and facts, allegations and claims. At one point [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING May 24, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES POLL SHOWS MAJORITY OF INVESTORS USE VOTES Almost eight in 10 UK institutional investors exercise their voting rights in all the companies in which they own shares, according to a survey by the Investment Management Association. The finding, in a report setting out the extent of shareholder involvement in the early days of [...]
Editor stands by decision to break order May 22, 2011 THE editor of a newspaper that printed the identity of a footballer who took out a super injunction to hide an alleged affair yesterday said he wanted to “spark debate” over current laws which “fly in the face of logic”. In an interview with City A.M., Sunday Herald editor Richard Walker said he does not [...]
Marry for love not money: get a prenup April 27, 2011 THE couple that has been plastered across everything from tea towels to canvas shoes will be married tomorrow. While everyone celebrating will be wishing them a long and happy life together, many have speculated on whether or not the couple have signed – or should sign – a prenup. After all, William’s mother reportedly walked [...]
Investec Derby Trial can go to Gosden again April 19, 2011 JOHN GOSDEN has made his customary strong start to the season and he looks to have an excellent chance of winning a third Investec Derby Trial in five years with MUSAWAMA this afternoon (3.10pm). Already a winner of his two races at Lingfield and Kempton this season, this race has always been the target for [...]