Oil prices: A game of chicken or headless chickens? – CNBC Comment August 11, 2015 Forget QE and low base rates, the real great global stimulus – in the form of tumbling commodities and most importantly oil – continues and it’s hard to see what’s going to change any time soon. This huge transfer of wealth from commodity producers to consumers has shown little sign of abating. In oil, the [...]
North Korea creates its own time zone to mark its liberation from “wicked” Japanese colonial rule August 7, 2015 North Korea is creating its own time zone, setting clocks back 30 minutes from the standard time set under Japanese rule. The country will be switching to Pyongyang Time next week, as the country decided to mark its liberation from Japan in 1945. Its current standard time, 9 hours ahead of GMT, is the same [...]
Russia enforces ban on Western foods by steamrolling nine tonnes of cheese August 6, 2015 The Russian government has upheld its commitment to its one-year-old ban on Western food by steamrolling tonnes of contraband cheese and destroying fruit with tractors. The government steamrolled nine metric tonnes of contraband cheese and destroyed 60 metric tonnes of peaches and tomatoes, Associated Press reported. The move has been met with protest, according to [...]
Vladimir Putin gets pugnacious about prophylactics as Russia bans foreign condom imports August 6, 2015 It seems Vladimir Putin is getting serious about sex, after he rubber-stamped a new rule banning foreign condom imports. Yep – despite the fact that the number of people infected with HIV in Russia almost doubled from 500,000 to 930,000 between 2010 and 2014, Putin has added prophylactics to a list of banned foreign foreign [...]
Purchasing managers’ index: UK and Eurozone set for decent growth despite service sector moderation August 6, 2015 The UK and Eurozone’s service sectors are seeing slower growth, new figures show, but are still expanding at levels consistent with robust economic growth. Markit’s purchasing managers’ index – a survey of firms – dropped to a score of 57.4 in July for the UK service sector from 58.5 in June, according to figures released [...]
A high end estate agent is trying to entice the super rich to Mayfair with a vintage style travel poster August 6, 2015 Mayfair is now up there with Gstaad, St Moritz and Monaco as a favourite playground among the world's super-rich. Read more: Showing off in your supercar will soon be a crime in Kensington & Chelsea And how better to keep them flocking to London's most expensive neighbourhood than with an art deco travel poster? [...]
Peerless Peaty leads Britain’s pool gold rush August 6, 2015 BRITAIN’S Adam Peaty claimed a succession of notable milestones as he took his tally of gold medals to three at an extraordinary Aquatics World Championships yesterday in Russia. The 20-year-old from Staffordshire added 50m breaststroke gold to his success over 100m on Monday, becoming the first man to hold both world titles simultaneously. Peaty then [...]
Devro sizzles on rising demand in Far East and North America August 6, 2015 SAUSAGE casings maker Devro yesterday posted pre-tax profits of £9.6m for the six months to the end of June, up from £1.6m in the same period last year. Revenues rose to £112.7m from £109.7m and basic earnings per share increased to 4.4p from 1.4p. The interim dividend is maintained at 2.70p per share. Operating profits, [...]
British people’s confidence in the economy has soared in the last two and a half years August 5, 2015 British people's confidence in their economy is currently at its highest in five years, according to a global poll by Ipsos Mori. Read more: Surveys reveal UK consumers are optimistic on the economy Half of UK respondents in the July survey said they thought their economy was in good health – up from just [...]
Britons rule in pool again as Guy upstages stars in 200m freestyle August 4, 2015 TEENAGER James Guy continued Great Britain’s golden week at the Aquatics World Championships in Russia by beating a host of star names to win the men’s 200m freestyle yesterday. The 19-year-old from Somerset’s success followed team-mate Adam Peaty’s triumph in the men’s 100m breaststroke on Monday – Britain’s first in that event for 40 years. [...]