Don’t let the Christmas curmudgeons dampen your holiday hedonism December 19, 2013 CHRISTMAS has become a magnet for miserabilists. Those sections of society that make a living from fretting over what the rest of us are eating, drinking and doing in our bedrooms are drawn to Christmas like moths to light, spying an opportunity to hector us about our gluttony and hedonism. It’s got to the stage [...]
New issues make a strong comeback in the London market December 18, 2013 As the year comes to an end there’s definitely cause for celebration in London’s new issues or Initial Public Offering (IPO) market. According to figures out today from EY, the advisory firm, there were 14 main market share listings this year, raising £5.2bn. That’s not exactly an avalanche of deals but the total represents a [...]
Standard Chartered would do better being more upfront December 16, 2013 BEFORE and during the financial crisis, which rocked so many banks to their foundations, Standard Chartered could seemingly do nothing wrong. While their rivals dodged in and around write-downs, rescue rights issues and increased impairment charges, the stock of both chief executive Peter Sands and his ebullient finance director Richard Meddings rose sky-high. So highly [...]
FTSE heads for longest losing streak since ’08 December 12, 2013 THE FTSE 100 fell again yesterday, putting it on course for what is expected to be its longest weekly losing streak since the 2008 financial crisis. The blue-chip index would have to rally by 106 points today to reverse what will otherwise mark its first six consecutive weekly decline in over five and a half [...]
A classy end to a successful season of Michael Grandage December 12, 2013 THEATRE HENRY V Noël Coward theatre | By Xenobe Purvis Four Stars OVER the course of Michael Grandage’s five-play season at the Noel Coward Theatre, the venue has seen star-studded casts perform parts as diverse as spliff-smoking fairies and cross-dressing soldiers. And now it is home to Henry V, which – although offering us nothing [...]
The City Fit Challenge is over – but who has claimed victory? December 2, 2013 It’s not over until the fat lady sings, but after our City Fit Challenge – in partnership with Danio, Danone’s high protein yogurt of substance – there’s not much fat to be seen. We asked three busy office workers who were keen to lose a few pounds to undertake the 5:2 diet, which involves restricting [...]
Fitness Expert: Christmas and New Year is an exercise in damage limitation: but it’s not an excuse to quit December 2, 2013 AS THE holiday season approaches, the chances are very high that a vast number of calories will be passing your lips in the days and weeks to come. Although estimates vary, some people put on about five pounds over Christmas, with up to 6,000 calories consumed on Christmas Day alone. When you include New Year’s [...]
Diet Expert: Manage your calorie intake over Christmas for an easy start to 2014 December 2, 2013 THE 5:2 diet is the perfect approach to survive the Christmas festivities and not end up spending next January trying to lose that extra weight you gained in December. As a dietician, obviously I can’t condone excessive eating or binge drinking, but indulging at Christmas is one of life’s great pleasures and a well earned [...]
The retail champion who puts fame after business December 1, 2013 Annabel Palmer talks T-shirts and Small Business Saturday with Made in Chelsea’s Oliver Proudlock THE SERGE DeNimes headquarters is a cosy studio-cum-office, located exactly where you would expect for a business whose founder has found fame on Channel 4’s hugely-successful reality TV show Made In Chelsea. I’m hesitant about interviewing Oliver Proudlock, who, when not [...]
Review: The Sign of the Don November 26, 2013 FOOD Four Stars VALUE Three Stars ATMOSPHERE Four Stars Cost for two with matched wine and some sherry £148 Address: 21 St Swithins Lane, EC4N 8AD Tel: 020 7626 2606 If you were taking a partner out for an important occasion – an anniversary, maybe, or the death of a loved one – would you [...]