‘Bond market tantrum risks’: Gilt traders brace for Labour leftward pivot as Starmer future uncertain
Investors urged to vote against Mike Ashley and Keith Hellawell at Sports Direct AGM as USC, zero-hour contracts issues rage on September 1, 2015 Sports Direct investors are being advised to vote against both founder Mike Ashley and chairman Keith Hellawell retaining their seats on the board ahead of next week's AGM. Investor group Pirc is recommending six of the 15 resolutions be opposed, and three abstained. Its biggest concern was the large number of staff employed on [...]
Sports Direct chairman Keith Hellawell grilled over “callous” USC administration, zero hour contracts and “back street” tactics September 1, 2015 Sports Direct chairman Keith Hellawell faced a grilling by MPs today over the company's administration of USC – but if Mike Ashley thinks he dodged a bullet in not appearing, he might want to think again. Chairman Ian Davidson MP and the rest of the Scottish Affairs Committee quizzed Hellawell, who appeared as the sole representative [...]
Securing success: How security company G4S plays its part in a thriving Rugby World Cup 2015 August 31, 2015 In less than three weeks the Rugby World Cup 2015 will launch at Twickenham. Fans have been salivating for months at the prospect of the planet’s biggest and best teams convening on English soil, ready to pummel each other into the turf and showcase their skills to the world. There are one or [...]
Perfect timing August 23, 2015 Harriet Green talks pub food, capitalism and the importance of shiny things with Watchfinder’s Lloyd Amsdon When I ask Lloyd Amsdon’s seven year-old step-daughter if she knows what an entrepreneur is, she draws a blank. It may be age-related, but there’s no reason why she would have heard the word. “I’m only an entrepreneur when I’m [...]
UK jobs market: People would rather be unemployed than work on a zero hours contract August 20, 2015 People would rather be unemployed than on a zero hours contract, according to a new study that shows half of those who’ve been offered the controversial contract turned it down, opting instead for continued unemployment. Zero hours contracts, which guarantee no set hours, have skyrocketed in recent years, but despite 700,000 people in the UK [...]
Clearbell snaps up £200m of property assets August 19, 2015 CLEARBELL has splurged £200m on two separate portfolios of retail, industrial and office properties spread out across the UK, the private equity real estate fund management said yesterday. The Amber portfolio contains 29 properties totalling two million square feet and is let to tenants such as B&Q, Travis Perkins and Sports Direct.com. Clearbell acquired the [...]
Kentucky is more than just fried chicken: Hit the bourbon trail for a spirited, unbridled discovery August 14, 2015 All bourbons are whiskies, but not all whiskies are bourbons. This is the first commandment drilled into visitors at the distilleries that pepper the state of Kentucky, USA. Now, I’m a walking Wikipedia entry, espousing facts about bourbon to anyone who will listen; for instance, did you know that bourbon has to be made [...]
QBE’s David Hall on how insurers are the unsung heroes of major sporting events: “I like to think we are the glue that allows the World Cup to operate” August 9, 2015 For A few short weeks next month, England's rugby team will find itself at the centre of the sporting universe. The World Cup will provide nailbiting thrills and drama, established stars will shine, new stars will burst into life, and seminal moments will be etched into the sport’s history books. Amid this landscape of excitement, [...]
Even at £750m Adidas’ Manchester United kit deal could prove to be a bargain for the sportswear giant August 5, 2015 £75m per year. That’s how much Adidas is paying Manchester United to make their kit. To put that into context, that’s about 2.5 times more than the next biggest Premier League deal (Arsenal and Chelsea both receive £30m per year from Puma and Adidas respectively) and over 10 times more than NFL teams receive from [...]
Kazakhstan is a long way off the high rise life in China, but the Silk Road could take it in that direction July 29, 2015 Thousands of years ago on the ancient Silk Road, horses were to Kazakhstan what silk was to China— prime commodity. Chinese traders would traverse the Tian Shan mountains of eastern Kazakhstan, caravans loaded with silk, their most valuable product. In exchange, Kazakh nomads would equip them with Central Asian horses, prized for their strength [...]