Finance executives feel UK business outlook is bleak, and confidence is low across Europe in general November 16, 2015 More than a quarter (29 per cent) of UK chief financial officers (CFOs) feel less optimistic about the financial prospects of their business than they did three months ago, according to a Deloitte report released today. Of the UK CFOs questioned for Deloitte’s latest European CFO Survey, which surveyed a total of 1,298 CFOs across [...]
Investors starting to warm to emerging markets again November 16, 2015 Attitudes towards investing in emerging markets have improved markedly over the last month, according to survey figures published today by one of the UK’s biggest lenders. Lloyds Bank’s investor sentiment index for emerging market shares climbed 8.47 points to a score of 5.32. The score was derived from a survey of 4,500 people. However, sentiment [...]
Don’t let runaway FX moves damage your firm – Investec Comment November 15, 2015 It’s been a volatile year for currency markets, with plenty of surprises. In January, the Swiss National Bank abandoned the Swiss franc’s peg with the euro, introduced in September 2011. Within minutes, the franc soared by around 30 per cent against the euro, hitting the country’s stock market as the effect of a much stronger [...]
‘Jihadi John’ Mohammed Emwazi may have been hit by airstrike that Prime Minister David Cameron says “was the right thing to do” November 13, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron this morning said an air strike may have taken out Mohamed Emwazi, better known as Jihadi John, in what he termed an “act of self defence”. The Prime Minister said the UK had been working with the US “around the clock to track him down” but “cannot yet be certain if the strike [...]
Russia ready to admit some doping charges from Wada report in attempt to avoid blanket ban that would keep their athletes out of Rio 2016 Olympics November 12, 2015 Russian athletics chiefs plan to admit to some of the doping charges levelled against them in an attempt to avoid a ban from next summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. World governing body the IAAF, led by Lord Coe, has given the country until Friday to respond to a litany of allegations contained in a [...]
Vladimir Putin orders Russian investigation into Wada claims of state-sponsored doping programme November 12, 2015 Vladimir Putin has ordered an investigation into claims of a state-sponsored doping programme in Russian athletics. The Russian president said those involved in sport in the country should pay "the greatest possible attention" to the issue after the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) revealed its shocking findings on Monday. Wada recommended that at least five Russian [...]
Why migration is necessary to unlock European growth November 12, 2015 The “European model” that has provided security and prosperity across the continent has, for the first time, found itself seriously questioned by a combination of political, economic and fiscal threats. Welfare models across Europe are seen as no longer sustainable. Flows of migrants have accelerated to crisis point. Support for right-wing and nationalistic parties has [...]
Russia doping scandal: Britain’s drug-testing system is worse than ours, says under-fire sports minister Vitaly Mutko November 11, 2015 Russia's under-fire sports minister Vitaly Mutko has responded to claims that he was complicit in a state-sponsored doping programme by attacking British anti-drug efforts. A bombshell report by a World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) independent commission on Monday said the London 2012 Olympics had been “sabotaged” by the avoidable presence of Russian drug-cheats. Former Wada chief [...]
FA chairman Greg Dyke questions: Has Fifa ever awarded a World Cup without “a pile of bungs”? November 11, 2015 FA chairman Greg Dyke fears no country has ever won the right to host the World Cup without "a pile of bungs", and has described Fifa as a "soap opera". The former director general of the BBC was speaking following the resignation of German FA boss Wolfgang Niersbach over alleged corruption in the bid to [...]
Helmut Schmidt: As Germany loses a historic figure, the UK has lost the most Anglo-Saxon of all Chancellors at a crucial time for Brexit November 11, 2015 The death of Helmut Schmidt is a profound moment for all post-war Germans. More than any other German Chancellor, Schmidt was the incarnation of a deep commitment to his nation as a part of the European Community, but also as a strong member of the Atlantic alliance. As an inveterate workaholic, Schmidt was used to burning [...]