World Bank warns 2018 could be last hurrah for strong global growth as it upgrades forecasts January 9, 2018 An acceleration in the global economic expansion this year threatens to be a last hurrah for rising prosperity if governments allow the productivity slowdown to continue, according to the World Bank. The organisation, which focuses on promoting international development, predicts global GDP growth will edge up to 3.1 per cent in 2018 from an estimated [...]
Solving the gender pay gap means making stay-at-home fatherhood sexy January 9, 2018 If we are going to solve the gender pay gap in the workplace, more women need take the role of men in the home seriously. All too often, women are quick to deem men useless or incompetent when it comes to childcare or housework. But while division of labour is a factor, this should not [...]
Drones to be tested with passengers on board this year January 7, 2018 Test flights for the first British passenger drone will begin this year. Martin Warner’s Autonomous Flight Y6S will carry passengers for the first time in spring 2018, having only so far performed flights without people on board. If the flights are successful, it could lay the way for two-person drones to fly over London in [...]
House of Fraser appeals for landlord support to cut rents January 6, 2018 UK department store House of Fraser has appealed to its landlords for “support”, asking them to reduce rents at some stores. First reported by Sky News last night and later confirmed by the high street stalwart, the news suggests House of Fraser may have had a rocky time during the pivotal Christmas trading period. House [...]
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) nets £150m in sale of Lombard asset finance unit to Investec and Shawbrook January 3, 2018 Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has sold the offshore operations of its asset finance lender Lombard to Investec and Shawbrook. RBS will net around £150m from selling off its Channel Islands operations of the lender, which was founded in 1861. Investec and Shawbrook will split the Jersey and Guernsey assets division between them, although the [...]
RBS nets £150m in sale of Lombard asset finance unit to Investec and Shawbrook January 3, 2018 Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has sold the offshore operations of its asset finance lender Lombard to Investec and Shawbrook. RBS will net around £150m from selling off its Channel Islands operations of the lender, which was founded in 1861. Investec and Shawbrook will split the Jersey and Guernsey assets division between them, although the [...]
Here’s what the City of London skyline will look like in 2026 December 29, 2017 The City is home to the most ambitious architecture in London – and its profile is set to change dramatically over the next 10 years. In the Square Mile’s so-called eastern cluster, which is home to the Cheesegrater, the City of London Corporation has given the green light to 13 new schemes. These developments will [...]
Primark hires former Zara Basic head Paula Dumont Lopez in bid to move up the clothing retailer ranks December 23, 2017 Primark has pulled in Paula Dumont Lopez, a former head of product at Zara Basic, as its new womenswear chief. The budget high street chain, which currently lags Marks and Spencer (M&S) and Next as the UK’s third largest clothing retailer, is to begin in January next year. Read more: Next’s sales return to growth [...]
Lance Armstrong: I’ve made Chris Froome “adverse” drugs test fallout worse December 21, 2017 Disgraced cycling champion Lance Armstrong believes his misdeeds have contributed to an overreaction to Chris Froome’s recent adverse drugs test. Last week the world cycling body the UCI confirmed that double the allowed level of a legal asthma drug had been found in a test of four-time Tour de France winner Froome after a stage [...]
Are UK markets overstretched? December 21, 2017 With the FTSE 100 and All-Share a wee bit below their all-time highs and valuations above average, many fear equities are too high and will soon fall. However, in our view, such worries are misplaced. Valuations aren’t predictive, and markets routinely set all-time highs during bull markets. We expect UK markets to keep making chart-topping [...]