Can slowing money growth stall markets? June 19, 2018 It’s fashionable for central banks to be more cautious in the West. TheFederal Reserve is busy putting up interest rates. Many forecast a move up from 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent this year and a further move to 3.25 per cent next year. Meanwhile, the US central bank is also reducing its own [...]
Ranked: The banks that have closed the most branches since 2015 – and which regions have been hardest hit June 15, 2018 New analysis has revealed which of banks have shut the most branches since 2015, with NatWest, HSBC and Lloyds Bank reporting the highest number of closures. Some 2,868 UK retail branches will have shut up shop by the end of this year, with 879 bank closures during last year, according to Which? Money research. That [...]
A sovereign wealth fund could diffuse the UK’s debt timebomb June 13, 2018 There’s a hint of sunshine peeping out from behind the grey clouds of austerity. After eight long years of belt-tightening, we’re living within our means at last. Our taxes cover our day-to-day spending on things like health, education, policing and defence, so we’re only having to borrow to invest in long-term infrastructure like roads and [...]
Revealed: The UK cities where £1m properties sell fastest June 7, 2018 Homes worth £1m or more have sold most quickly in Cambridge this year, taking only 45 days on average to secure a buyer – twice as fast as the national average According to property website Rightmove, the top five fastest selling million pound locations are all outside of London: Edinburgh and Harpenden are in [...]
Workspace report solid annual figures June 6, 2018 Workspace revealed a solid set of full-year figures. Profit before tax jumped by 91.9% to £170.4 million, which comfortably exceeded the Reuters consensus estimate of £80.65 million. Net rental income rose by 21% and underlying property valuation ticked up by 5%. The strong performance helped the property company increase its return to shareholders as the [...]
End of the Roman empire? Abramovich, visas and the sudden halt of Chelsea’s £1bn stadium project May 31, 2018 Roman Abramovich has transformed Chelsea from financially stricken also-rans to serial winners and global behemoth since buying the west London club from Ken Bates in a £140m deal 15 years ago. But questions about the Russian billionaire’s future as owner have resurfaced after the Blues called an abrupt halt to their plans to redevelop their [...]
Crossrail latest: New Elizabeth Line trains tested in tunnels under London as Europe’s largest infrastructure project wraps up May 24, 2018 Crossrail has released the first footage of the new Elizabeth Line trains being tested in the tunnels under London, along with pictures showing construction progress of the £14.8bn project ahead of the December launch. The new railway will serve 41 stations including 10 newly built ones, and run from Reading and Heathrow in the west [...]
Homeowners near Crossrail 2 stations could be hit by new tax May 11, 2018 People living near Crossrail 2 stations could be hit by a new tax, under proposals being considered by Transport for London (TfL). The proposed £31bn project will start from Cheshunt in Hertfordshire and run through London and then out to stations in Surrey such as Epsom, Hampton Court, Chessington South and Shepperton. Property magazine Estates [...]
Digital Innovators: three market transforming companies leading business into the world of tomorrow May 9, 2018 Technology has become one of the main driving forces of the world economy, allowing businesses to become more productive and efficient, and helping to create new types of jobs. Data analytics and machine learning mean that artificial-intelligence powered devices are becoming faster and smarter, able to solve all sorts of problems and tasks. These three [...]
From huskies to supercars, the wilderness of Finland is transformed into a billionaires’ playground by McLaren May 1, 2018 I’ve been promised 567 horsepower, but first I get to experience the propulsion of seven huskies. I’m scrambling through the forests of northern Finland, hanging onto a rickety two-man sled, zipped up against the Arctic cold. I eventually arrive at McLaren’s kota, a traditional wooden hut 2,000 miles as the crow flies but more realistically [...]