Calling all startups: The FCA’s fintech accelerator is open for business May 9, 2016 Fintech startups will now be able to test out their ideas without fear of getting on the wrong side of regulators. A so-called sandbox has been launched by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) today offering a tech accelerator environment for young firms looking to disrupt finance. "Supporting innovation is an essential part of our role in promoting competition [...]
Sadiq Khan’s successful pro-business campaign is heartening for us all – but the work is just beginning May 9, 2016 It is fair to say that relations between the Labour Party and business are in a slightly odd place at the minute. The nervousness is perhaps understandable, considering that both the leader and shadow chancellor of the party continue to describe themselves as socialists. In these interesting times – and to be fair to those [...]
Russia and the UK have lowest effective corporate tax rate May 9, 2016 Both Russia and the UK are two of the major global economies which try to tempt businesses with a favourable tax environment. They offer companies the lowest effective tax rates among the world's best economies, according to a study by accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young. Firms in Russia are obliged to pay business tax at 20 per cent, Bloomberg reported. Meanwhile, companies in [...]
This Ivy League economist was pulled off a flight and interrogated because he was working on an equation that looked like “terrorist code” May 9, 2016 An award-winning economist, who has had stints working at Princeton and Stanford's Hoover Institution, was pulled off a plane and interrogated after his scribbled notes were confused as being a terrorist "code". Guido Menzio, a tenured associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who has been awarded the prestigious Carlo Alberto Medal for young economists, was interrogated after [...]
Should you believe in unicorns? Tech start-ups have polarised investors with Bill Gates calling for restraint but others arguing new tech will change the world May 9, 2016 The sad demise of unicorns was widely predicted at the start of the year. Unicorns – or young, technology private companies valued at over $1bn (£693m) – drew vast sums of investment throughout last year and comparisons with the dot-com boom were drawn. There are around 170 companies with unicorn status, according to Fortune. Some are [...]
Eddie Jones dangles tour carrot in front of eight England training camp newcomers May 8, 2016 England head coach Eddie Jones insists there is still time to gatecrash his squad for the summer tour to Australia after summoning eight uncapped players to a 26-man training camp this month. They include New Zealand-born Northampton back-row Teimana Harrison, Harlequins prop Kyle Sinckler, Bath lock Charlie Ewels and London Irish wing Alex Lewington. Sale [...]
Housebuilders have their doubts about government targets May 6, 2016 When the government revealed its target to build one million homes by 2020, plenty of those dreaming of stepping onto the property ladder must have rejoiced. However, a study out today warns that they might have celebrated too soon, as over half (51 per cent) housebuilders believe that the target will not be met, with lack of land, painfully [...]
Meet Toshiba’s new chief executive, assuming he gets the thumbs up from shareholders May 6, 2016 Toshiba has today nominated Satoshi Tsunakawa to take over as president and chief executive officer, subject to approval at a board meeting following a shareholders meeting in late June. Toshiba has been involved in an accountancy scandal in recent years, which involved the company's profits being wrongly bumped up by over 150bn yen (£966m) over a seven-year period. The [...]
Arsenal are just a franchise, Manchester United prioritise profit, Chelsea’s structure is skewed but Manchester City may be on the up – a management expert discusses Premier League clubs May 6, 2016 Build a strong team, win games, lift silverware: the external barometers for a football club are long established, but a new report suggests there is much more to look at when analysing how well a club is run. A new index from Organizational Maturity Services LLP (OMS LLP) judges Premier League clubs on their management [...]
These Final Hours review: Plus our pick of the best films showing this weekend May 5, 2016 These Final Hours (15) Dir. Zak Hilditch | ★★★★☆ A low-budget Australian drama about a young man struggling to get to a party to celebrate the end of the world, and the young girl he meets along the way. Setting out boldly into this well-worn territory, These Final Hours is a smart film that loses its [...]