EU antitrust authority approves Microsoft’s $26bn connection with LinkedIn December 6, 2016 The European Union has approved a $26bn (£20.5bn) connection request between technology behemoth Microsoft and professional networking site LinkedIn. The deal has already received the green light from antitrust authorities in the US, Canada, Brazil and South Africa. Having received the go-ahead from the EU’s competition watchdog, the deal is likely to close in the [...]
Widening US trade deficit gives Donald Trump a challenge to fulfil campaign reduction promise December 6, 2016 Rising imports pushed up the US trade deficit by over $6bn in October and factory orders increased faster than expected, as domestic demand continues to stay strong in the world’s biggest economy before the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House. Trump has promised to reduce the trade deficit when he takes office, but [...]
Eurozone GDP stays steady on 0.3 per cent in third quarter December 6, 2016 The Eurozone economy grew by 0.3 per cent in the period after the UK's Brexit vote, as some of Europe's most vulnerable economies accelerated slightly. Greece and Portugal both grew by 0.8 per cent in the third quarter, with the former doubling its growth rate from the second quarter. Portugal's growth rate accelerated even faster, [...]
London number one as it beats Paris and Berlin to top Europe’s tech hotspots December 5, 2016 London is leading the way among cities in Europe for technology companies, with the booming sector set to outperform other industries over the next four years despite the vote to leave the European Union, according to a new ranking. The capital beat Paris and Berlin into second and third places respectively, while the broader Thames [...]
Uber’s created its very own lab for researching artificial intelligence December 5, 2016 Uber is getting deeper into the artificial intelligence game, creating a dedicated lab staffed with top researchers by acquiring a startup with expertise in the technology. The 15 staff of Geometric Intelligence will form the basis for the billion dollar startup’s San Francisco Lab, which will research the growing area of AI and machine learning [...]
Trouble on the cards for Christmas post: Post Office workers strike today December 3, 2016 Thought you'd be organised and send off all Christmas cards and presents early to friends and relatives abroad? Well bad luck, because Post Office workers are striking today. Father Christmas will not be happy. It's not too bad for Londoners: the Post Office said a branch was closed in the City of London and in St [...]
As Londoners wrap up for a frosty weekend what are the odds we’ll get a white Christmas? December 3, 2016 You might be the feeling the chill this weekend, after forecasters predicted overnight lows of -2C and daytime temperatures of around 7C today and tomorrow. The Met Office said "a cold front" moving in over the weekend will bring drier, colder air. And Public Health England issued a cold weather warning yesterday for six regions [...]
This House review: Sharply scripted and performed with blistering wit December 1, 2016 At a time when our political parties could only be more adversarial if they started dropping cartoon anvils on one another, This House offers a fascinating and historical insight into a comparatively chummy parliament still ticking along with some sense of post-war unity. Charting the travails of the Labour government of 1974-79 (preceding Thatcher’s reign), [...]
UK immigration reached 650,000, its highest levels ever, in the year before the Brexit vote, but cuts to immigration could harm the public finances December 1, 2016 Immigration to the UK reached 650,000, the highest level estimate ever recorded, in the year before the Brexit vote, but influential economists have warned that attempts to reduce net migration could harm Britain’s public finances and even result in higher taxes. European Union immigration also reached its highest ever level, at 284,000, an increase of [...]
UK manufacturing PMI falls to 53.4 but shows relatively confident sector ahead of leaving EU December 1, 2016 Confidence in the UK’s manufacturing sector posted a surprise fall in November, as the weak pound exerted pressure on manufacturers buying materials from abroad. The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 53.4, down 0.8 points since last month, although rates of expansion are still "solid", according to survey compiler IHS Markit. This was the second [...]