Fraud reaching “epidemic” levels, costing the UK economy more than £6,000 per second or almost £200bn a year May 25, 2016 Fraud is costing the UK economy nearly £200bn per year – or more than £6,000 per second – with businesses being the biggest targets, a report out today has discovered. The study discovered that the private sector was losing roughly £144bn of the £193bn total lost to fraud every year. In particular, procurement fraud, such as issuing fake invoices and [...]
Football betting: Manchester City and Arsenal can edge closer to Champions League spot with a point May 5, 2016 It wasn't supposed to be this way for either of these two sides. When Manchester City against Arsenal was scheduled for the penultimate weekend of the season, it looked like a mouth-watering clash that could decide the fate of the Premier League. Instead, the Gunners travel to Manchester on Sunday with the trophy already in the [...]
Retail sales run out of steam in February despite half-term and Valentine’s Day boost March 8, 2016 RETAIL sales slowed in February after a strong start to the year that was boosted by the January sales. Like-for-like sales rose by 0.1 per cent last month compared with February in 2015, when they had increased 0.2 per cent, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG’s monthly data released today. The February [...]
Godiva is galloping into growth markets: Chief executive Mohamed Elsarky talks managing growth and high quality March 7, 2016 As Godiva celebrates its 90th anniversary, few would contest the heritage of the Belgian chocolatier. But since Turkish food manufacturer Yildiz Holding acquired the firm from Campbell Soup in 2007, it has been given a new lease of life. Now, chief executive Mohamed Elsarky has his sights on Asia. Since entering the Chinese market in late 2009, nearly 70 stores [...]
UK household spending boosted by Valentine’s Day dinners and half-term holidays during February March 7, 2016 Valentine's Day dinners and half-term holidays boosted UK spending last month, according to a new report out today. Visa's consumer spending index – which looks at total spending, not just payments via credit cards – showed a household spending lift of 2.2 per cent in February compared with the same month last year. Read more: [...]
RIBA’s new exhibition looks at how architects have rebuilt cities destroyed by natural disasters February 25, 2016 Nobody knows how many people died in the fire. Six deaths were recorded, but many were thought to have been incinerated beyond recognition and many more cooked alive in temperatures exceeding 1,700 degrees Celsius. The streets resembled the lower circles of hell and the Great Fire, as it became known, was the second tragedy to [...]
Reported fraud in the UK more than doubled from £720m to £1.5bn last year, with financial services and London particularly badly hit February 15, 2016 The value of fraud in the UK more than doubled in 2015, although the total number of incidences fell, a report out today has discovered. The study by professional services firm BDO revealed that the value of reported fraud last year was £1.5bn, up 110 per cent from £720m the year before and the highest it has [...]
These are the 10 sexiest jobs: Lawyers, pilots and bankers February 12, 2016 With Valentine’s Day around the corner, the City’s single bankers can get ready for love – after it turned out their jobs are among the most attractive to the opposite sex. Both men and women found bankers to be among the top 10 sexiest professions when dating site eHarmony studied its users’ preferences. They missed out on [...]
Bad news for Valentine’s Day truffle buyers: Chocolate could be about to become more expensive as emerging markets develop a sweet tooth February 12, 2016 The price of chocolate could be about to leap, as inefficient farming methods come up against spiking demand, new research has suggested. Something to think about as you're scoffing those Valentine's Day truffles… The research, by Hardman Agribusiness, said western consumers now munch their way through 286 35g bars of chocolate a year. That's more than 10 kilograms [...]
Valentine’s Day 2016 office romance advice: Red roses and thorny issues – your relationships rights at work February 12, 2016 "Will you be my office Valentine?” It’s well known that work is fertile ground for the blossoming of intimate relationships. And the City is more fertile than most, with colleagues working long hours together. But in what circumstances could employers put a stop to romance and discipline those having an office fling? Can my employer [...]