UK house prices: Housebuilding won’t meet demand, so will 2015 lead to a worsening supply shortage? December 29, 2014 Despite the slowing housing market, a surplus of demand and dearth of properties could lead the housing market into crisis in 2015. A survey by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has revealed many of its members believe that government plans to build new homes will not do enough to sate demand. [...]
City Link workers demand urgent talks as 1,000 more jobs could be at risk December 27, 2014 Workers at City Link, the parcel delivery company which collapsed into administration on Christmas Eve, have demanded talks with administrators, as it emerged 1,000 more jobs than originally thought may be at risk. The BBC reported that leaders at the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has written an open letter to business minister Vince [...]
10 times London was awesome in 2014 December 23, 2014 As if we didn’t already know how awesome London was, in 2014 it proved itself better than any other city (especially New York) in almost every way. 1. Best city in the world London is an economic powerhouse, technologically ready and a city gateway making it a transport and tourism hub. Basically, that makes London the [...]
Kingfisher sells off loss-making B&Q business in China for £140m December 22, 2014 DIY GROUP Kingfisher said yesterday it had agreed to sell a 70 per cent stake in its loss-making B&Q China business to Wumei Holdings for £140m. The deal came after the retailer announced in March that it was searching for a strategic partner to help grow its B&Q business in China, which is made up [...]
McCarthy & Stone seals £200m loan to support expansion spree December 22, 2014 Retirement homebuilder McCarthy & Stone has secured a £200m loan from its lenders to help with its next phase of growth as it seeks to meet growing demand for homes from Britain’s ageing population. The company said yesterday that Barclays, HSBC, RBS and Santander had agreed to provide a new five-year facility, replacing a [...]
Camden Market owner Market Tech Holdings valued at £844m after first day of trading on Aim December 22, 2014 Market Tech Holdings, the company that owns the iconic Camden Market, has a valuation of £844m after its first day of trading on the alternative investment market (Aim) of the New York Stock Exchange. Shares in the company which combines real estate assets with an e-commerce platform jumped by 12.5 per cent from their [...]
Which were the best and worst investments of 2014? December 22, 2014 This year low interest rates have seen investors who bet on traditional investments receive returns tantamount to chickenfeed. Perhaps we should have given up before we'd all even started? Perhaps not. Investors who plumped for chocolate, property, the US dollar and Aim-listed company Fitbug would have watched as their money practically grew on trees. Conversely, [...]
From Quindell and Gotham City to Uber and the LDTA – five of the biggest business battles to watch out for in 2015 December 22, 2014 Rival camps have banded together, the lines are drawn, battle armour is on and adrenaline is running high. All that's left for spectators to do is grab some popcorn and watch from the ringside. From rival estate agents, to a business targeted by a Batman styled US fund and an influx of tiny new banks [...]
Kingfisher sells off B&Q business in China for £140m December 22, 2014 Kingfisher has agreed to sell a controlling stake in its Chinese B&Q business to Wumei Holdings for £140m. The retail group had been looking for a “strategic partner” for its business in China in order to focus on the larger and more lucrative European market said newly installed Kingfisher chief Véronique Laury. B&Q first opened [...]
London house price boom loses steam as national prices pick up December 21, 2014 London house prices are moving at a rate more in line the rest of the UK, new data shows, while homeowners borrow more in the run up to Christmas.The average UK price was up 7.8 per cent year-on-year in November compared to 7.9 per cent in London, according to figures released today from Haart estate [...]