Immigration debate: More than 1,300 skilled visa applications were rejected by the Home Office in June July 27, 2015 A cap introduced on Tier 2 visas by the Home Office was reached for the first time in June, resulting in 1,329 visa applications being rejected. A freedom of information request by technology publication Techworld showed that after the cap of 1,650 was hit, the UK authorities rejected applications for the first time since it [...]
Don’t stitch up the primary: Londoners deserve a real choice for their next mayor July 23, 2015 This weekend, the Conservatives will be holding interviews with the candidates who want to be included in the party’s open primary for next year’s London mayoral election. The word on the street is that the list of candidates will be culled to only two or three and that Ivan Massow, despite being the second ranking [...]
TalkTalk share price dips as broadband battle heats up: Price wars looming in UK telecoms market July 22, 2015 Telecom firm TalkTalk became the first victim of an increasingly competitive battle to win broadband customers yesterday, after £330m was wiped off the group due to concerns over the UK’s market. The firm, led by chief executive Dido Harding, saw shares close down nearly nine per cent after results showed revenue growth of 3.5 [...]
Danske ups its full-year forecast but prepares Belfast bank for sale July 22, 2015 Danske Bank said yesterday that it had raised its full-year forecast after high customer activity and improving macroeconomic conditions helped to drive an increase in first-half profits. Denmark’s largest lender reported in its half-yearly statement that net profit had jumped to 9.4bn Danish crowns (£879m), up 36 per cent from the same period in 2014. [...]
How to leave the stress of work at the aeroplane door July 22, 2015 Exercise can help ease the transition from boardroom to beach The virtues of vacations are well known. In 2006, EY found that for every additional 10 hours of holiday taken by members of staff, their end of year performance ratings increased by 8 per cent. But for those with busy lives, it can be [...]
Red tape officers must allow banks to take risks: There’s no business without it July 21, 2015 It's clear there is still a major gap in understanding how growth can be maintained and stimulated by effective risk management, rather than restricted by focusing purely on compliance control as this recent report on soaring pay for so-called red tape officers shows. Some still blame excessive regulation for a stalling in financial firms’ [...]
WH Ireland confident as half year results see profits trebling July 20, 2015 Financial services firm WH Ireland said it is “cautiously optimistic” about the next six months of trading, after seeing operating profits almost treble since last year. The firm, which provides corporate broking and private wealth management services, said yesterday that group revenues climbed by nine per cent to £15.9m in the first half of 2015, [...]
Jeremy Browne is recruited to boost the City’s voice in Brussels July 16, 2015 Former minister of state for foreign affairs Jeremy Browne is set for a new post in Brussels, promoting the interests of the City in EU policy making. The City of London Corporation – the City’s governing body – will be placing Browne in its Brussels office as a special representative for the City, it announced today. [...]
Sports Direct share price falls despite revenue rising 4.7 per cent July 16, 2015 The figures Shares in Sports Direct fell 0.48 per cent to 731p per share in early morning trade. The company said group revenue rose 4.7 per cent to £2.83bn in the year to April 2015, from £2.71bn in 2014. It was helped by its "sports retail" and "brands" sectors, which rose 5.5 per cent and [...]
Inflation back to zero: Here’s what the analysts said July 14, 2015 Falling clothing and food prices sent Britain back into "noflation" in June, down from 0.1 per cent in May, according to figures releases today by the Office for National Statistics. Read more: Britain falls back into "noflation" territory Here's what analysts had to say: Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: Core inflation (excluding energy, food, [...]