New York Report: Factory figures help S&P 500 to record close April 1, 2014 US STOCKS rose for a third straight session yesterday, with the S&P 500 ending at a record close, after positive data on factory activity indicated economic growth was gaining traction following a harsh winter. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national factory activity rose to 53.7 in March, its second straight [...]
What you need to know before the US open April 1, 2014 Stocks across the globe have been given a boost after positive remarks by Janet Yellen yesterday on the Fed’s attitude towards a rate hike – soothing worries one would come earlier than expected. Futures point towards a positive open, as markets continue the moderate gains seen in the first quarter. Investors will also have the [...]
Brewers cheer beer price relief as cost of fags raised by 28p per pack March 19, 2014 PUBS, Scottish whisky distilleries and West Country cider brewers will all benefit from alcohol tax changes announced yesterday, while the tobacco industry faces increasing duty on cigarettes. The reforms announced in the Budget include a two per cent reduction on beer duty, amounting to a penny price drop in most pubs, for the second year [...]
Baby drama won’t hinder England bid March 13, 2014 ENGLAND’S quest to win a first Six Nations title in three years will not be hampered by the last-minute loss of prop and expectant father Joe Marler, according to head coach Stuart Lancaster. Marler was initially included in Lancaster’s starting XV to take on Italy tomorrow, but doubts over his ability to join his team-mates [...]
New UK car sales are showing few signs of braking March 6, 2014 BRITISH motorists kept buying new cars in February, industry data out yesterday showed. Registrations rose three per cent on a year ago to 68,736 cars. February is a traditionally quiet month for car purchases ahead of the new year’s number plates being released in March. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has forecast a [...]
Rugby Comment: Wales are the benchmark, it’s time to step up March 6, 2014 WALES pride themselves on their rugby. For them, playing against England on Sunday is a huge game, their biggest. They’ve become a top team over the last three years and have probably become the benchmark, so for us, it’s a massive test. There are other teams at the top that can still win the Six [...]
UK car buyers ease off the gas in February March 6, 2014 The number of Brits buying new cars is still growing solidly, with new car registrations hitting a two-year growth milestone in February, up three per cent to 68,736. But February's a traditionally quiet month for sales, ahead of the March registration plate change, and numbers moderated significantly from January's 7.6 per cent increase – and [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 04 March 2014 March 3, 2014 FINANCIAL TIMES Nine private equity heads share $2.5bn The nine founders of the four big listed US private equity companies took home more than $2.5bn between them last year, with Apollo Global Management’s Leon Black alone receiving $546m. The dividend income, investment profits and other compensation shared by the founders of Apollo, Blackstone, Carlyle and [...]
Ford unveils its answer to Google’s self-driving car February 24, 2014 As the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona gets underway Ford has unveiled what could be its answer to Google's self driving Toyota Prius, according to Sky News. Ford's new self-driving car is fitted with four infrared light sensors capable of taking 2.5m measurements every second. The sensors scan the road meticulously for possible obstacles such [...]
How free markets are making solar energy feasible without subsidies February 20, 2014 IT MAY be a clean form of energy, but solar has become a dirty word in some circles. Given expensive subsidies and feed-in-tariffs, solar (like other renewables) has looked like yet another uncompetitive distraction. It’s little surprise that countries like Germany, which have made the greatest commitments to renewables, also have the highest domestic energy [...]