Bottom Line: A global web player that is best of British September 19, 2013 ANYONE who said there was no space in the internet retail revolution for British business may have to start eating their words. On the heels of Ocado’s return to form thanks to a licensing deal with Morrisons comes this startling set of numbers from Asos. They confirm the online fashion retailer’s extraordinary achievement. In little [...]
The Fed’s taper surprise highlights a wider problem with monetary policy September 19, 2013 THE US Federal Reserve’s surprise decision not to scale back its stimulus programme on Wednesday night should not perhaps have been so unexpected. Back in 2010, in those early days of quantitative easing by the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England, I suggested that both institutions would be tempted to make sure the [...]
Asos sees sales soar with strong UK market and new growth in US and Russia September 19, 2013 Online retailer Asos has announced UK retail sales up 47 per cent for the three months to the end of August with 49 per cent growth in the UK. (Release) Retail sales for the year were up 40 per cent year-on-year. The company had 7.1 million active customers at the end of August, up 42 [...]
Unworkable Syrian chemicals plan saves Obama but exposes unrealistic US policy September 16, 2013 IT IS painfully evident that the agreement reached over Syria’s chemical weapons by Washington and Moscow in Geneva is so much less than meets the eye. The accord imposes unbelievably quick deadlines for Bashar al-Assad’s regime to meet. By the end of this week, Syria is to submit a full list of its chemical facilities. [...]
Letters to the Editor – 16/09 – House price cap, Startup survival, Best of Twitter September 15, 2013 House price cap [Re: Industry calls to limit lending won’t fix our bust housing system, Friday] A policy of the state intervening to cap house prices will strangle our fragile growth and exclude more people from home ownership. In economics, supply must meet demand. We need to fix the supply issues through less red tape [...]
US-Russia talks on Syria begin September 12, 2013 The US and Russia began high-stakes talks yesterday on Moscow’s plan for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons as Damascus applied to join a global ban. Talks in Geneva are part of a diplomatic push that prompted President Barack Obama to put on hold his plans for US air strikes in response to a chemical [...]
Dunkin’ Donuts plots a move to Britain with 50 London branches September 12, 2013 THE FORMER chairman of Ipswich Town FC is backing the return of Dunkin’ Donuts to British shores. The Court Group, chaired by football stalwart David Sheepshanks, has signed a franchise deal to open 25 coffee and doughnut restaurants in east London over the next five years, Dunkin’ said in a statement yesterday. The US-listed firm [...]
Murray to face Croat prodigy in Davis opener September 12, 2013 SIXTEEN-year-old Borna Coric is the first obstacle in Andy Murray’s path this morning as he attempts to lead Great Britain back into the Davis Cup elite for the first time in five years. Despite his tender years Coric is no pushover, having won the US Open boys’ title last week at Flushing Meadows – just [...]
How the geography of global innovation is rapidly changing September 12, 2013 Liam Ward-Proud investigates the cities that are attempting to foster new startup cultures WIKIPEDIA founder Jimmy Wales has called on Britain to extend its entrepreneurship visa scheme to make London more enticing to startups. He joked that “nobody wants to live in San Jose, California – it’s incredibly boring”. But the geography of global innovation [...]
Syria attack on hold amid UN debate on arms September 11, 2013 LEADING world powers were last night debating a Russian proposal to neutralise Syria’s chemical weapons, as the prospect of imminent strikes on the Middle Eastern country retreated. The five permanent members of the UN security council met in New York to discuss a Russian proposal that would see Syrian President Bashar al-Assad voluntarily give up [...]