LONDON REPORT May 13, 2012 THIS week will see a string of stormy annual meetings, which will be closely watched for signs that the “shareholder spring” is taking hold. The market is also due to digest some key earnings reports on Thursday and Facebook’s long-awaited US float on Friday. However, today looks set to be relatively quiet on the corporate [...]
Ex-slickers cooking up a storm May 13, 2012 Poncho 8 FOUNDERS Nick Troen (formerly a consultant at KPMG); Frank Yeung (formerly a trader at Goldman Sachs); Nick Birkett (formerly an investment analyst at BlackRock). BUSINESS The first Poncho 8 in Spitalfields opened in September 2009 with the aim of being the first of a fast-casual Mexican chain. www.poncho8.com WHY DID YOU LEAVE THE [...]
The ongoing challenge of untangling the business of bra straps May 13, 2012 I AM inspired by new products and ways of doing things – what is called “disruption”– and this led me to meeting Nigel Coole, an inventor. “Think back Richard, to when you were a teenager fumbling around on a date and got lucky enough to undo a bra. Do you remember the struggle and embarrassment [...]
Let’s get this food truck on the road May 13, 2012 ALTHOUGH not famed for its native cuisine, London has profited from its openness to outside culinary influences, allowing the capital to punch above its weight. Food is big business – the hospitality industry employs around 2.5m people in the UK. But times change. If London wants to keep up it must embrace innovation – including [...]
Insurance is not for life – shop around May 13, 2012 APART from taxes, there is nothing as certain as the grim reaper’s eventual scalp. It’s a depressing fact to contemplate on a Monday morning, but it must be faced at some time as it’s a vital consideration for anyone with dependants. Ben Smaje, managing director at Kennedy Black Wealth Management says “the first thing you [...]
FTSE lurches higher after a volatile day of bank and commodity swings May 10, 2012 A BOUNCE back by risk-sensitive banks and commodity stocks hauled Britain’s stock index higher yesterday after a roller-coaster session, with worries over the global growth outlook easing following benign US jobless claims. At the close, the FTSE 100 index was up 13.90 points, or 0.3 per cent at 5,543.95, holding above key technical support at [...]
Cisco’s outlook weighs on US stocks recovery May 10, 2012 THE DOW and the S&P 500 eked out a modest gain yesterday as investors dipped back into the market after a weak stretch, but a disappointing outlook from tech bellwether Cisco Systems and caution about Europe limited gains. In a positive development, Eurozone officials said the bloc’s countries are prepared to keep financing Greece until [...]
Lingering euro worries weigh on Wall Street May 9, 2012 U S stocks fell for the fifth day in six yesterday as investors kept their focus on the turmoil in Europe, but news that Greece will receive its latest debt bailout payment helped cut losses late in the session. In the afternoon the Nasdaq briefly turned positive and the S&P rose to break-even after news [...]
Eurozone fears see FTSE 100 fall to fresh 2012 low May 9, 2012 UK equities slumped to their lowest level this year yesterday and faced further losses amid downbeat corporate reports and concerns about the health of the Eurozone, Britain’s biggest export market. Shares in several big companies – including oil major BP and drug maker GlaxoSmithKline – went ex-dividend, meaning investors buying them from now on will [...]
The four traits key to success in the critical world of sales May 9, 2012 PHILIP Delves Broughton’s idea is very simple. “Selling is not a sideshow, a pesky obligation apart from the real business of finance, law, or accounting. It is business in gorgeous Technicolour.” Sales is a “human practice.” To be a success in sales requires skills and traits that aren’t solely useful in that particular job, but [...]
