Inside Track: London is ready and waiting for the Royal Mail flotation September 24, 2013 THE FORTHCOMING privatisation of Royal Mail is the biggest post-financial crisis test so far of the market for new issues in London, which was virtually closed for business just a couple of years ago. In the years following the financial crisis, London became a notoriously difficult place on which to list shares in a new [...]
Energy price fixing and tax hikes would quickly see economic reality bite September 24, 2013 ED MILIBAND made two big new pledges in his speech yesterday: lower business rates for small businesses, paid for by higher corporation tax on larger firms; and a freeze in energy prices for 20 months from the date of the next election. Economic reality would quickly bite for any government that tried to introduce either [...]
EBay and Argos launch national trial of Click & Collect for merchants September 24, 2013 Online mega auctioneer EBay and high street retailer Argos have announced the launch of a national trial that will offer Click & Collect for EBay merchants. The UK collection services will be trialled at 150 Argos stores for six months. Large merchants will be able to take advantage of the new system, while smaller merchants [...]
New FTSE100 stocks see red as first trading day incurs losses September 23, 2013 SPORTS Direct and Coca Cola Hellenic both saw losses in their first day of trading after joining the index of 100 top shares yesterday. The sports retailer began the day positively but rapidly plunged into the red, ending its debut on the FTSE100 down 1.07 per cent, a bigger drop than the overall 0.59 per [...]
City Moves for 24 September 2013 | Who’s switching jobs September 23, 2013 Rockspring The property investment company has announced the appointment of David Thomas as European director responsible for its fund accounting team. Thomas was most recently at PwC, where he spent nine years specialising in investment management and real estate. Barclays The bank has recruited Peter Horrell as chief executive of its wealth and investment management [...]
Tea expert who’s found a new blend September 23, 2013 Annabel Palmer talks to Mike Brehme, who is transforming hot drinks for the second time WHAT do you do when you’ve already transformed that most British of pastimes – drinking tea? That was the conundrum facing Mike Brehme – co-founder of Clipper Teas, whose newest venture FruitBroo has recently come onto the shelves at Sainsbury’s [...]
Should we all just stay in bed? September 23, 2013 NASA is paying guinea pigs to work from their bed – but how productive can we be outside of the office? Melissa York investigates the pros and cons of homeworking THIS week, US space agency NASA announced it was looking for regular guys like you and me to join a special project. Hold on before [...]
Beat the competition to golden accelerator and incubator places September 22, 2013 But picking the right fit for your company is vitally important THE THRIVING London startup scene is set for another boost. Microsoft recently announced plans to launch a new gaming-focused accelerator programme, while Tesco is due to fund the Rainmaking Loft – a tech incubator in St Katherine Docks. Incubator programmes provide startups with business [...]
Unite to build student housing on its new car park in Wembley September 18, 2013 WEMBLEY is set to get more university housing, after Schroder Real Estate sold an acre plot of the north London site to student accommodation specialist Unite. The £7.4m site, currently a car park, will be the new home of a 684-room student block and 10,000 square feet of retail space, providing Unite and its Singaporean [...]
Zara sees profits and jobs up September 18, 2013 Inditex, the Spanish company that owns clothes shop Zara, has seen net sales rise six per cent to 7.7bn euros in the first half of 2013. Net profit amounted to 951m euros (£798.2m). The group has created over 10,000 jobs, refurbished and enlarge a number of flagship stores, including London's Brompton Road, and opened 95 [...]