The European Central Bank just announced three new measures to boost lending. Here’s how they’ll work June 5, 2014 On top of the two policy changes announced earlier, the European Central Bank (ECB) is introducing a few more measures to prop up the ailing currency area. We've already heard, from an official statement, that the central bank is cutting its refinancing and deposit rates, taking the latter into negative territory. During a press conference, [...]
Auditors are told to get tough with banks on loss provisions May 28, 2014 AUDITORS for British banks and building societies are not scrutinising the firms’ books closely enough, despite repeated warnings that auditors should have caught some of the warning signs ahead of the 2008 financial crisis, a watchdog said yesterday. The Financial Reporting Council flagged up poor testing of loan impairment models and a widespread reluctance among [...]
Financing your MBA: Three tips to meet the cost May 28, 2014 Employer support can be hard to come by, so remember to spread your net wide WITH tuition fees of over £50,000 a year for the top programmes, MBAs don’t come cheap. Factoring in textbooks, accommodation, and the opportunity cost of foregoing a full-time salary, this figure can easily rise above £100,000. And while the return [...]
An anti-capitalist European Parliament: The real threat to UK business May 21, 2014 NOT LONG ago, the government’s mantra was that the Eurozone crisis was having “a chilling effect” on the UK economy. Britain’s dependence on its trading links with the euro area, combined with the plunging fiscal and economic fortunes of certain member states, put in doubt the prospects for our own export-led recovery. Fast forward three [...]
Banks set to get report cards on their reputation May 19, 2014 BRITAIN’S banks are set to establish a new independent watchdog that will publish yearly updates on how much the public trusts them. Sir Richard Lambert, in his latest report on restoring public faith in the industry, yesterday called on all banks to sign up to his proposed Banking Standards Review Council. The six retail banks [...]
Six things you need to know about the new banking standards council May 19, 2014 Sir Richard Lambert’s report on banking standards will, he hopes, trigger a big shift in the way banks hold their own behaviour to account as they try to restore their reputations. His recommendations today have changed slightly since his last update in February, but he has stuck to his call for an independent body, [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 09 May 2014 May 8, 2014 FINANCIAL TIMES Apple in talks for $3.2bn Beats deal Apple will acquire Beats’ streaming music service, which launched this year, and its audio equipment business, which includes its brand of headphones and audio equipment. The Beats management team will report to Mr Cook, sources said. Apple and Beats did not comment. The deal is likely [...]
Watchdog call for clawbacks April 23, 2014 BRITAIN’S reporting watchdog wants all listed companies to claw back bonuses from top staff who fail to perform. Clawback rules, which have been adopted by the banks, would be extended to all FTSE firms under the Financial Reporting Council’s plans. The FRC also said firms should explain more clearly what they will do when investors [...]
ACCA Comment: Why big data matters for accountants April 17, 2014 New technologies are carving out novel career opportunities THE BIG data revolution is fast becoming the gold rush of the twenty-first century, and everyone is eager to harness the opportunities it has brought with it. Reams of data are being produced every second from phones, credit cards, online interactions, infrastructure and tablets. The data produced [...]
ACCA Comment: Why big data matters for accountants April 16, 2014 New technologies are carving out novel career opportunities THE BIG data revolution is fast becoming the gold rush of the twenty-first century, and everyone is eager to harness the opportunities it has brought with it. Reams of data are being produced every second from phones, credit cards, online interactions, infrastructure and tablets. The data produced [...]