Business confidence plummets July 21, 2008 Worsening economic conditions are taking their toll on business confidence in the capital, according to the latest Business in Britain survey. The study, from Lloyds TSB Commercial, revealed that firms’ optimism for the coming six months is lower than ever, with London-based companies hit hardest. The Business Confidence Index for July showed that the balance [...]
BAA jobs to go despite profit rise November 2, 2005 Airports operator BAA said it will axe 700 jobs, almost 6 per cent of its workforce, despite posting a 5 per cent increase in half-year pre-tax profits. The business, which operates seven of Britain’s airports, posted pre-tax profit up 5.2 per cent to £366m, on sharply increased sales, up 6.4 per cent, of £1.2bn. It [...]
Giant laid to its rest October 26, 2005 With the rump of Marconi set to be rebranded as telent, Laurie Laird looks at what the future might hold in store for a once-great telecoms company brought to its knees in recent years From the mighty GEC, to Marconi, to Ericsson, to telent. It’s an ignominious end for a once-glorious company. After months of [...]
Crash Course? October 24, 2005 On the anniversary of the 1929 stock market collapse, Laurie Laird asks if we are in danger of repeating that disaster. What year is it? It’s October, and the autumn fashion shows have featured falling hemlines and rising waistbands — the wasp waist is back. On the economics front, the world’s biggest economy has been [...]
Alstom tube contract under threat October 18, 2005 Transport for London, the body responsible for public transport in the capital, will seek legal advice this week in a bid to break the French company Alstom’s 20-year, £429m contract to build and maintain trains on the Northern Line. The Northern Line was suspended last Thursday after unions raised safety concerns about the emergency braking [...]