Personality is essential for success in both business and life June 24, 2012 WHAT’S a successful personality? I am one of 11 children born in the outback of Australia. My father was an itinerant farm labourer, so sometimes we were given accommodation and sometimes we stayed in a big tent. Strong as an ox, “Dad” was a good worker but also liked a drink. He was violent towards [...]
Make Britain the home of the brave June 24, 2012 ON FRIDAY, Neil Carmichael MP from the education select committee, hosted a debate in the House of Commons on how innovative further education could better equip the workforce of the future. A pertinent subject, following the revelation of Michael Gove’s plans for education reform. Entrepreneurs can provide an interesting perspective. Friday’s event came on the [...]
FTSE pares back gains after China’s weakness punctures Eurozone relief June 21, 2012 BRITAIN’S leading share index dropped back yesterday, snapping a four-session winning streak on falls in heavyweight commodity stocks which were hit by fresh signs of economic weakness in China and concerns over growth in the United States. Energy stocks and miners were the biggest blue chip casualties, with the two sectors particularly sensitive to the [...]
Worst day in three weeks for US market June 21, 2012 US stocks posted the worst day in three weeks yesterday on mounting evidence that slowing manufacturing growth worldwide threatened corporate profits. Shares of energy and materials companies led declines as commodity prices fell. US crude futures slipped below $80 a barrel for the first time since October and the S&P energy sector index lost 4 [...]
Invensys surges 27 per cent as talks of bid from US resurface June 20, 2012 SHARES in Invensys surged by 27 per cent yesterday on talk of a bid from US rival Emerson Electric. The rumours suggested Emerson was mainly interested in the company’s controls business and not the rail division, but would be willing to buy the whole lot to achieve its aims. That was enough to see Invensys [...]
Stocks sink on disappointing Federal action June 20, 2012 US stocks edged lower yesterday after the Federal Reserve acted to aid the fragile economy with stimulus measures that were in line with market expectations but went no further. Stocks rallied in recent days in the hope that the US central bank would extend Operation Twist, a bond-buying program designed to lower long-term rates and [...]
Make the hard road to legal partnership easier to tread June 20, 2012 YOUNG lawyers face an uphill struggle in their battle to reach partnership. Rapid, pre-recession growth in legal services seemed to offer so much to graduate lawyers. But this growth has stalled, and now opportunities for internal promotion are severely restricted. Many will feel frustrated that previous avenues for progression have appeared to close off. Jeremy [...]
The journey of an idea from a classroom to the boardroom June 20, 2012 SUSAN Cooper is founder of Accutrainee, a start-up that aims to reduce costs and increase flexibility for law firms by outsourcing their trainee solicitor needs. The company employs the trainees and seconds them out when required. Cooper is a former lawyer – she spent several years working at Hogan Lovells and then in the construction [...]
Inflation relief helps push FTSE to its highest close in six weeks June 19, 2012 BRITAIN’S leading share index hit a six-week high yesterday on growing hopes for concerted economic stimulus measures from central banks, with a fall in UK inflation seen as increasing the chances of another Bank of England move. Consumer price inflation (CPI) eased unexpectedly in May to its lowest in two and a half years due [...]