Archive for the ‘UK Business News’ category
Tomato Firm Ripe For Salad
Cheshire-based APS Salads – one of the UK’s largest suppliers of tomatoes – has completed a £3.67m expansion into the south of England after receiving a major funding package from Yorkshire Bank, sister bank to Clydesdale Bank. The purpose-built development at Europa Nursery in Ash, Kent, comprises a 57,000 sq m state-of-the-art production facility, almost [...]
Nationwide announces fourth mortgage rate cut in January
With effect from Wednesday 30 January, Nationwide Building Society is cutting its tracker rates by up to 0.50 percentage points and selected fixed rates by up to 0.30 percentage points. It means the Society will offer a three-year fixed rate for new borrowers with a 40% deposit at 2.59 per cent, with rates for new [...]
Tentative Signs That Funding For Lending Scheme Is Easing Credit Conditions
The latest Bank of England data, released this morning, showed that the number of loans approved for home purchases increased slightly in December. Lenders approved 55,785 new mortgages over the month, with a total value of £8.0 billion. Both mark a year-on-year improvement, with the number of mortgages approved 6.1% higher than a year earlier, [...]
Compliance And Risk Regulations To Drive Technology Spending In 2013
A combination of a depressed world economy and tougher regulation will make the financial markets rally to IT in order to underpin more risk-averse business strategies, according to a new report from Ovum. Regulatory compliance in particular will place further IT investment requirements on market participants, with risk analytics (covering market, credit, operational, and a [...]
Using Plants To Help Tackle Sickness Absence
As National Stress Awareness Day puts the spotlight on wellbeing at work, Ambius, the world leader in enhancing buildings through planting, scenting and artwork, is encouraging businesses to maximise the benefits of planting in the office environment. Research has found that bringing plants into the workplace can help improve morale, reduce sickness absence and improve [...]
Online Integrity Interview Launches
UK launch of pre-employment integrity interview that fine-tunes the recruitment process Did you know there were 186,300 claims accepted by employment tribunals during April 2011 – March 2012? In addition, the Government estimates that defending a claim costs UK businesses an average of £4,000. IntegriTool, the pre-employment integrity interview, will help reduce the risk of [...]
Eurozone Recession Means UK Fastest Growing Major Economy In Europe In 2013 And 2014
Eurozone to remain in recession in 2013 and ‘only marginal growth’ in 2014. A distinctly worse Eurozone outlook is likely, according to the latest global forecasts by Cebr, the economics consultancy. The think tank now forecasts that the Eurozone recession will continue through 2013 and only marginal growth is likely for 2014. Although UK growth [...]
Nearly £4 In Every £5 Paid In Pensions To Public Sector Workers Will Come From The Taxpayer
As the Public Bill Committee starts scrutiny of the Public Service Pensions Bill on Tuesday 6 November, leading pensions analyst Michael Johnson reveals that the cashflow shortfall between public sector contributions and pensions in payment are rising to unsustainable levels. As a result, he demonstrates that another round of public sector pension reforms will be [...]
UK Economy Boosted By Olympics But Big Picture Is Flat Year On Year
The UK economy leapt out of recession in the Olympic quarter, as economic activity rose by 1.0% from the previous quarter in Q3 2012. This brought an end to the recession that had encompassed three consecutive declines in the level of economic activity and a cumulative 1.0% decline in the economy. The UK economy recorded [...]
New Mortgage Rules To Stamp Out Target-Led Culture, Says uSwitch.com
Michael Ossei, personal finance expert at uSwitch.com, welcomes the Financial Services Authority’s initiative to stamp out irresponsible lending: “This move is not before time. For far too long consumers have been fobbed off with poor, albeit any, advice on how to manage their mortgage. Many have been encouraged to borrow more than they could possibly [...]
