FTSE 100 Live: Stocks to dip after Asian markets hit with tech jitters; Oil falls as OPEC+ ups output
To speak or not to speak: The battle for free speech November 1, 2019 I remember the excitement of setting up my first Personal Computer and being able to get email. The potential to connect with people from around the world in an instance was inspiring, as was the sense that the Information Superhighway and World Wide Web were going to transform our world forever. I also remember being [...]
DEBATE: Last year’s winter fuel allowance for pensioners cost almost £2bn – should the benefit be means-tested? October 10, 2019 Last year’s winter fuel allowance for pensioners cost almost £2bn – should the benefit be means-tested? Imogen Farhan, a researcher at the independent think tank Reform, says YES. It is vital that those struggling to heat their homes receive support, but handing out cash to wealthy pensioners is a waste of taxpayers’ money. Age alone [...]
Fintech is all the rage, but is the bubble about to burst? September 5, 2019 Fintechs are all the rage. Scarcely a day goes by without a new challenger bank or money app making headlines about how it seeks to disrupt traditional banking and solve personal finance problems. As a result, capital is pouring into the sector – last year, global investment into financial technology ventures more than doubled to [...]
How to end the injustice of the skewed university degree system September 4, 2019 Imagine a world where Eton awarded its own A-levels. No one else could take them and, if you got an A grade in, for example, chemistry, it was worth more than an A grade in the same subject from any other exam board. It would be hideously unfair. Etonians would have a huge, inbuilt advantage [...]
Government proposals to fix the NHS pension crisis still miss the mark August 14, 2019 It has been an unfortunate theme over recent years that public services have to reach crisis point before the government is stirred to take action. And here we have the mother of all crises (that is, the NHS crisis) made worse by a desperately confusing pensions system. When a tax rule is effectively stopping doctors [...]
Businesses vent fury at handling of Brexit after economy shrinks August 9, 2019 UK business organisations have condemned the continuation of Brexit uncertainty after it helped push the economy into contraction in the second quarter. They called for “decisive action” to turn the situation around. Read more: UK economy shrinks for first time in six years GDP fell by 0.2 per cent in the first quarter, data from [...]
Kier shares soar 40 per cent as it chips away at debt pile August 1, 2019 Kier Group investors rejoiced this morning as they were treated to a rare piece of good news: that the firm is regaining control of its debt. The firm also said it had attracted “significant interest” in its house building arm, which it is trying to sell to reduce its debt. Read more: Kier shares plunge [...]
Ericsson quarterly profit meets expectations as 5G rollout picks up pace July 17, 2019 Ericsson has posted second-quarter profit in line with expectations and said it was on track for the full year as it looks to expand its 5G rollout. Read more: UK’s approach to Huawei makes no sense, warns Ericsson boss The Swedish telecoms firm posted a 10 per cent rise in net sales to 54.8bn Swedish [...]
Legalising cannabis would be the ultimate Conservative policy July 5, 2019 What if you were in the running to be the next leader of the Conservatives, and I told you that with a single popular policy, you could return your party to its traditional pro-liberty roots, put the UK at the forefront of a new cutting-edge global industry, and inspire the millennial generation to vote Tory [...]
Evening Standard posts £11.6m loss as it battles with advertising squeeze June 26, 2019 The Evening Standard has reported a loss of almost £12m as it battles rising costs and a squeeze on revenue from print advertising. The daily London newspaper posted a pre-tax loss of £11.6m in the year to the end of September, marking its second consecutive year in the red. However, the figure represents a slight [...]