Corporate hospitality: The secret to getting it right March 29, 2016 In today's business environment, hospitality remains a vital part of building and maintaining client relationships. As an increasing amount of day-to-day contact with our customers and potential customers is conducted remotely, “face time” helps build trust, candour and forge stronger working relationships. It goes without saying that the need to demonstrate a return on investment or, [...]
Sports Direct’s share price falls after retailer clarifies Mike Ashley’s “in trouble” comments saying earnings will come in at bottom end of expectations March 23, 2016 Sports Direct has been forced to issue a clarification, confirming that the retailer's adjusted EBITDA will come within the expected range, after comments made by founder and majority shareholder Mike Ashley yesterday. Ashley – who is notoriously private and rarely speaks to the press – yesterday gave an interview with The Times in which he said the [...]
At the close: FTSE 100 rises despite tourism stocks dropping in wake of Brussels attacks March 22, 2016 Tourism stocks took a hit today in the wake of attacks in Brussels, holding the FTSE 100 index back from closing higher. The index closed 0.13 per cent higher at 6,192 points. "European equities dropped on Tuesday after a coordinated set of terrorist attacks at the airport and metro stations in Brussels sent investors out [...]
Sports Direct’s share price flops after founder Mike Ashley admits the company is “in trouble” and blames MPs for a storm of negative publicity March 22, 2016 The share price of controversial sportswear retailer Sports Direct has tumbled after billionaire boss Mike Ashley admitted in a rare interview the company is "in trouble", and "not trading very well". Speaking to The Times, Ashley blamed MPs for creating a storm of negativity around the retailer, and accused them of “abuse of parliamentary process” by requesting he attend [...]
Jonas Gutierrez suing Mike Ashley’s Newcastle United for £2m March 22, 2016 Footballer Jonas Gutierrez is suing former club Newcastle United for £2m over the way he was treated following his battle with testicular cancer. The Argentine winger, 32, has made a claim for disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 after he was released by the Premier League club last summer. He claims that his illness [...]
FTSE 100 falters but ends the week higher as Sports Direct and Standard Chartered share prices rise but Sainsbury’s falls March 18, 2016 The FTSE 100 index closed lower on Friday, but concluded the week higher. The index closed 0.19 per cent lower at 6,189 points. The fall comes despite a senior European Central Bank policymaker having hinted at another cut in Eurozone interest rates and having said “helicopter money” was part of the bank’s policy toolbox, said Jasper Lawler, markets analyst at [...]
Six Nations 2016 betting: Scoring in England Grand Slam win will be elementary for Anthony Watson March 17, 2016 Not many punters would have confidently backed England’s World Cup flops for a 2016 Six Nations Grand Slam at 6/1 after their dismal display in the tournament. Now they head to Paris for Saturday's final match no bigger than 2/7 to complete their first clean sweep since 2003. An away trip to France is never [...]
Budget 2016: George Osborne’s speech in full March 16, 2016 George Osborne has just revealed the Budget for 2016. There was good news for businesses with corporation tax being sliced and business rates being reformed – but bad news for smokers and students who hate maths. Mr Deputy Speaker, Today I report on an economy set to grow faster than any other major advanced economy in [...]
Budget 2016 odds: EU referendum and taxes will be George Osborne’s hot buzzwords, but what about Donald Trump? March 16, 2016 George Osborne wouldn't pass up an opportunity to talk Brexit in his Budget. Referendum is a favourite for getting a mention in the chancellor's speech on Wednesday with a 90 per cent chance of popping up and he's predicted to slip in the word tax in 95 times – that's once every 36 seconds – in the predicted 57 [...]
MPs run out of patience with Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley, ordering him to attend a hearing on 7 June March 15, 2016 MPs have given up waiting for billionaire Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley to set a date for a scheduled appearance to discuss the controversial sportswear retailer's treatment of its employees. They've commanded him to appear at a hearing on 7 June. The Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) select committee of MPs want to quiz Ashley over recent media [...]