‘Bond market tantrum risks’: Gilt traders brace for Labour leftward pivot as Starmer future uncertain
City Airport owner snaps up Gatwick October 21, 2009 THE UK’s second largest airport, Gatwick, is facing a massive shake-up after BAA yesterday sold it for £1.5bn to City Airport owner Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). The new owner said that it wants to challenge rival Heathrow by overhauling services and could add new destinations. Michael McGhee, the GIP partner leading the acquisition, said the [...]
Post strikes will do most damage to Royal Mail October 18, 2009 IF THIS week’s postal strike goes ahead from Thursday, as expected, the Square Mile will not come to a grinding halt. The rise of the internet, email and electronic trading platforms mean that the Royal Mail’s integral role of facilitating business between City firms are long gone. I suspect that more damage will be caused [...]
Boris to hike prices for TfL and C-charge October 15, 2009 LONDON Mayor Boris Johnson yesterday blamed the recession and the “mistakes of the past” as he unveiled sweeping hikes to Transport for London’s (TfL) fare package. Johnson said tube fares would rise 3.9 per cent overall next year, while bus prices will jump by 12.7 per cent. The changes come alongside a proposed increase to [...]
Ledger takes his final bow in a surreal flight of fancy October 15, 2009 FilmTHE IMAGINARIUM OF DR PARNASSUSCert: 12a IF YOU are looking for a role that can stand as a testament to the talent of Heath Ledger, who died during the filming of this movie, then you would do far better to remember his turn as the Joker in last year’s Batman film, The Dark Knight, than [...]
New York comes to Docklands October 12, 2009 Lower East Liquor Bar28 Westferry Circus, E14 8RRTel: 020 7536 2862 FOODSERVICEATMOSPHERECost in restaurant per person without wine: £25 THE Docklands’ great trump card, when it comes to leisure and lifestyle, is the river. Residents have access to the best views in town, immaculate riverside running paths and access to water transport (how jolly). Now [...]
Boris unveils plan to shape City’s future October 12, 2009 MAYOR Boris Johnson yesterday reiterated his desire to be a “champion for London” as he unveiled a definitive strategy to improve the capital and promote the City’s competitiveness as a global economic powerhouse. Johnson’s three-pronged strategy includes interlinked documents on the capital’s overall strategic development, transport and economic development. He said he was “determined to [...]
CITY MOVES WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS October 7, 2009 NomuraThe Japanese banking group has hired Peter Westaway, a Bank of England veteran, as its new chief economist for Europe. Westaway previously spent 13 years at the Bank in senior roles, covering macro economic forecasting, policy and financial market analysis. He also spent time working at the UK Treasury and the National Institute of Economic [...]
BA axes 1,700 cabin crew as losses mount October 6, 2009 BELEAGUERED British Airways yesterday said 1,000 of its cabin staff have agreed to take voluntary redundancy, with another 3,000 moving from full-time to part-time work – the equivalent of 1,700 full-time job cuts. The carrier has been on a massive cost-cutting drive to return to profitability, with chief executive Willie Walsh and finance director Keith [...]
London is ranked top business city…. October 5, 2009 LONDON has beaten Paris and Frankfurt to retain its position as the best business city in Europe, according to the 20th annual European Cities Monitor report from property agents Cushman & Wakefield. It is the twentieth year in a row that London has been named as Europe’s best city for business. It also ranked the [...]
Bulk carrier prices stabilise as world economy improves October 5, 2009 THE cost of chartering bulk carriers to transport commodities worldwide has stabilised but looks unlikely to reach the peak hit during 2008, the International Financial Services London (IFSL) body said yesterday. Duncan McKenzie, director of economics at IFSL, said the Baltic Dry Index (BEDI) – which is based on the average spot price for chartering [...]