Fidelity analysts back consumer and tech sectors as utilities, industrials and energy lose their appeal March 14, 2016 The consumer and tech sectors will drive corporate earnings growth this year, a survey of analysts at an investment giant revealed today. However, the survey of 200 analysts at Fidelity International reveals they have dramatically toned down their outlook on utilities, industrials and financial companies for this year. Subdued inflation, rising house prices, wage growth and falling unemployment [...]
Budget 2016: It’s time for the Treasury and George Osborne to find elusive cuts, not introduce stealth taxes March 14, 2016 A guaranteed way of keeping someone on your side is to print a bigger number at the bottom of their monthly pay slip – a fact recognised by employers and politicians alike. George Osborne is expected to lift the personal allowance again during Wednesday’s Budget (a commendable continuation of the Liberal Democrats’ longstanding policy) and [...]
15 plans for the future of London transport: From the Northern Line extension to Night Tube and Crossrail 3 March 11, 2016 London Mayor Boris Johnson has said £1.3tn of investment is needed in the capital over the next 35 years in order for London to retain its world class status. Transport is the biggest focus of the "London Infrastructure Plan 2050", and £973bn of spending is needed on transport alone to keep up with the rising population [...]
Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden’s total remuneration plummeted last year, sad face March 10, 2016 Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden's pay packet was cut by almost 80 per cent last year, as the energy giant faced a challenging year ahead of its mega-merger with BG. The boss pocketed a mere €5.1m for 2015, having received a total remuneration of €24.2m the year before, though this included pension accrual, taxes and other [...]
RWE suspends dividend as its posts €637m loss, confirms Npower restructure, warns of worse to come in 2016 March 8, 2016 Energy giant RWE's share price fell this morning after suspending its dividend for 2015 and warning that results will get even worse before there is an improvement. RWE has confirmed it will make 2,400 job cuts at the Big Six firm, after Npower notched up an operating loss of €137m (£106m). RWE's share price fell on the [...]
Brexit or no Brexit, free movement of capital across Europe is vital to Britain’s success March 8, 2016 Debate over Brexit has reached fever pitch, with the political, economic and social impacts of remaining in or leaving the EU rightly being discussed at length. But stepping back from In or Out, whatever decision the public makes, it’s essential that Britain retains free access to European markets. And this is no less true of [...]
It’s not alchemy: Six investments for your Nisa March 4, 2016 The end of the tax year is approaching and many savers will be topping up their Nisas to make full use of the £15,240 tax-free allowance. It’s also the time of year when many people look at new ways of investing their savings. Here are some of the best ideas put forward by the professionals. FUNDS: [...]
UK house prices: Stamp duty changes should be linked to carbon emissions – Think tank PolicyExchange March 2, 2016 A leading think tank has called for homebuyers who choose properties that perform poorly on energy efficiency to pay more stamp duty. Under the proposal by London-based Policy Exchange, a £220,000 house with a poor energy efficiency rating would see stamp duty rise 30 per cent from £1,900 to £2,470. However, those buying an energy efficient home of the same value [...]
Researchers have found a way to predict future oil prices February 29, 2016 From its sensitivity to shocks in global supply and demand, to outside factors such as the weather, oil prices are notoriously difficult to predict. After all, hardly anyone foresaw the current rout which has wiped around 70 per cent off the value of crude since the middle of 2014. But companies around the world have been forced to [...]
Budget 2016: Federation of Small Businesses, EEF, British Chambers of Commerce all warn over chancellor George Osborne’s onslaught of business taxes February 29, 2016 Britain's biggest business groups are today calling on chancellor George Osborne to stop increasing taxes on industry at next month's Budget. In its Budget submission out today, the EEF said that Osborne needs to signal to businesses that they will not be the "thin end of an ever-thickening wedge". The EEF, which represents manufacturers, said a "raft [...]