Meet the men looking to corner the World market July 31, 2011 JOE Murray and Richard Tucker can sell anything. Cots, birdcages, log splitters, mattresses – you name it – these guys will have a dedicated website for it and they will be selling them by the shed load (speaking of which, they also sell sheds). With 79 of these websites and 350,000 items sold in just [...]
GROWTH PLAN NEEDS YOUNG CREATIVE TALENT July 31, 2011 ENTREPRENEURS by definition have never been fond of following a plan. But today, our economy needs a plan for growth, and a good place to start is the UK’s creative startup sector. The creative industries contribute £59.2bn to the UK economy and provide 2.3m jobs. They have a higher share of GDP in the UK [...]
Banking bounce and positive data help FTSE to edge higher July 28, 2011 STRONGER banks helped the FTSE 100 share index edge higher yesterday as investors welcomed upbeat data releases from across the Atlantic, though the overriding mood was one of caution, with only a few days left for the US government and its opponents to reach a deal on its debt and avoid a default. The FTSE [...]
Wall Street flags as debt talks stall July 28, 2011 US stocks faded in the afternoon yesterday to end mostly lower, with investors skeptical a key vote by Congress would lead to a deal to avoid a US default. The S&P 500 fell for a fourth straight day as buyers kept to the sidelines while lawmakers tried to hash out an agreement on the deficit. [...]
FTSE dips on US deficit talks July 27, 2011 FINANCIALS led Britain’s topshare index lower yesterday, on concerns that deeply-divided US lawmakers would fail to agree to a deal to avoid a default on the country’s debts. The UK benchmark index closed 73.15 points, or 1.2 per cent lower at 5,856.58, albeit in thin volumes. The continued standoff by US politicians has prompted fund [...]
Worst day in eight weeks for Wall St July 27, 2011 WALL Street suffered its worst day in eight weeks yesterday, hit by weak earnings, lacklustre economic data and no movement in Washington talks as the deadline for a US default looms. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 198.75 points, or 1.59 per cent, at 12,302.55. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down 27.05 [...]
Taking a gamble on your child’s character July 27, 2011 FOR those looking to save for their children, the slow drip-feed of information on the new Junior Isa (Jisa) has been frustrating. With yesterday’s update, we are a step closer to getting the final details – although questions remain, particularly in how child trust funds (CTF) will fit in with the new regime. But one [...]
Three ways to lower capital gains tax bills July 27, 2011 CAPITAL gains tax (CGT) soon adds up. Upon exceeding your allowance of £10,600, you will be charged either 18 per cent if a basic rate taxpayer, or 28 per cent CGT if a higher or additional rate taxpayer. There are a number of ways in which you can mitigate the pain from this second and [...]
High-speed changes to FX trading July 27, 2011 ELECTRONIC trading is not a new development. Nasdaq, the first electronic exchange, is more than 40 years old. But advancing technology has slashed latency. On the NYSE, 10 years ago an order took 20 seconds to execute a trade, now it takes one. “High-frequency trading (HFT) is a natural result of the technological developments we [...]
Actuaries count on career satisfaction July 27, 2011 SENIOR ACTUARIAL PARTNER, MAZARS THE idea of becoming an actuary will fill some people with horror, but believe it or not there are many benefits to the profession. For those unaccustomed to the profession, actuaries are people who use financial models to access the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. The work can bring travel, [...]