Hiscox profits surge as storm claims fall March 1, 2010 HISCOX yesterday reported a surge in pre-tax profits after the insurance group saw its figures sky rocket to £320.6m, quadrupling last year’s outcome. The Bermuda based insurer said profits climbed after the company made a series of investments during the year. The diminished number of global catastrophes also affected its figures. “Our catastrophe reinsurance underwriting [...]
Troubled Virgin Media turns the corner at last February 25, 2010 VIRGIN Media is a company with a troubled past. Having posted a full-year loss of £94.4m, it obviously still bears the scars. After 25 years of pain, however, the firm is finally turning a corner. The most impressive detail in yesterday’s results was the 28,600 net subscribers the firm signed up to its cable TV [...]
NO KILLER HEELS FOR ME February 25, 2010 SKY-high heels were everywhere at Fashion Week, elongating the models even more for the catwalk. But what about the rest of us? I’ve been trying to walk around in some of these vertiginous shoes sold on the high street. Many of them look gorgeous in your hand, elegant and exciting with lovely bright colours, patents [...]
Telecoms giants welcome cross-party findings that a phone line tax is unfair… February 23, 2010 Telecoms heavyweights have thrown their support behind select committee findings that a phone line tax would be unfair for consumers. The cross party business innovation and skills committee said yesterday the plans would tax the majority to provide super fast broadband to the few. The £6 annual tax has been expanded from its initial focus [...]
CRISIS IN THE SKY FOR VETERAN BROKER February 22, 2010 SIGHS of relief all round yesterday as a veteran of the City broking community emerged unscathed from a terrifying near-death experience. Brewin Dolphin divisional director Stephen Williams – a former head of small company research at Williams de Broë – was one of 231 passengers aboard a Thomas Cook Boeing 757 jet which had to [...]
Sky to broadcast from the City February 21, 2010 Broadcaster Sky News is today due to move into its new studio in the iconic Gherkin tower building at 30 St Mary Axe, in the heart of the City of London. The studio will host the weeknight business news programme Jeff Randall Live and will begin broadcasting from tonight, when Conservative leader David Cameron is [...]
The Beatles were right about taxes February 18, 2010 BEATLEMANIA is back – or at least that is what it is starting to feel like when one reads the endless coverage of the proposed sale of the Abbey Road studios by EMI, Guy Hands’ troubled music giant. Let me join in: the current political climate reminds me increasingly of that described so beautifully in [...]
CITY SET FOR HERON’S ROOM WITH A VIEW February 18, 2010 BUSINESS hotshots out to impress in the City’s culture of superlatives, take note: plans are finally afoot to find a restaurateur to take on what will soon become the venue with some of the best views over the Square Mile. Heron Tower, the 46-storey Bishopsgate glass and stainless steel giant due for completion just over [...]
City and Reds to share the spoils as battle for fourth spot heats up February 18, 2010 MANCHESTER CITY V/S LIVERPOOL Sunday – 3.00pm THIS game could quite easily decide which team finishes fourth and takes the crucial final Champions League spot. Manchester City and Liverpool have been nip and tuck all season and a 10th home victory of the season for the host side would put them in a hugely strong [...]
EU has been hiding its debt for years February 15, 2010 IT is astonishing how short our collective memories have become. It was once well-known that Greece, Italy and other countries had used dodgy tricks to embellish their public finances prior to the launch of Economic and Monetary Union to meet the entry requirements; yet now everybody is pretending to be surprised or even shocked. Even [...]