Business and Economics

By Chris Brown @vivabrownie Chris argues why you should give the often maligned sport a chance this season If you switch the television on and catch the beginning of an opening NFL game, just stop what you’re doing and allow yourself to absorb the scene for a moment. Notice the colour, the fireworks, the cheerleaders, the smoke, the razzmatazz - this is big time spectacle sport, this is the NFL. Some people will watch the NFL and be unperturbed by...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor SMEs are the first businesses hit by a recession but also the first to see improvement after the hard times. The BBC today (2/9/14) ran a news piece on the growth of the SME sector and their findings are supported by Bibby Financial services research. They found the majority of small and medium sized enterprises in Greater London expect to invest in their businesses this quarter. The independent funder surveyed 1,000 businesses with a turnover of up...

British foreign direct investment (FDI) into Lithuania has doubled ahead of the country’s entry into the Eurozone, which is set to be completed in just over four months. According to the latest figures from Statistics Lithuania, the official agency responsible for compiling investment data, British FDI in Lithuania has gone from £95 million in 2010 to £175 million in 2013. This makes the UK the second-largest investor in the country with heavyweights such as Barclays, which established its Technology Centre...

By Ikràn M.Omar @IkranM Despite Africa's long prophesied ascension as the next economic powerhouse there are still questions to be answered on whether this could ever materialise. The main question is whether it is a safe and solid investment. To invest in anything there needs to be a prospect of a strong return. You can never to be too cautious when entering any market let alone an emerging one. As Africa ascends she is showing exciting growth that is attracting many investors....

By Rohan Chatterjee @RohanChatterje1 China’s exponential growth has brought it to the doorsteps of geographically separated and historically disconnected, Latin America and is fast on way to becoming a key trade partner and surpassing the United States as the continent’s most important economic partner. The key driver behind China’s expansion into Latin America is relatively simple: its growing demand for raw materials. Latin America not only offers the desired resources but also a potential market of 500 million people to...

By Robert Sun America is in danger of becoming the world’s first “derivative economy.” Once renowned around the world for our prodigious ability to manufacture, invent, and revolutionize, the U.S. is becoming a place where pastimes take precedence, image is king, and quick money is the goal. Eighty years ago, banking profits accounted for less than 5% of all U.S. corporate profit. In recent years they peaked at around 40%. College graduates are lured with the promise of making big...

By Jamie Viggiano, Head of Marketing at TaskRabbit Britain continues to encourage entrepreneurship. So far this year, 350,000 companies have started up in the UK. This is not surprising. After all, making money and being your own boss is something that appeals to most of us. However, starting a company takes a lot of hard graft. Challenges inevitably arise – concerns around cash flow, staffing, workspace are common. Ultimately, the question is “Is it worth the risk?” That can dishearten...

By Tony Roy, President of CareerBuilder EMEA A career in culture may be a neighbourhood away While it might be enticing to work in the areas of culture, media or sport, these jobs are often difficult to find. Yet according to our new study, a more targeted approach might be needed. The study discovered that certain boroughs of London are experiencing more growth than others when it comes to culture, media and sports positions. Topping the list is Hounslow, which...

By Valentina Magri All that glitters is not gold. ONS data released on August 13th for the second quarter of 2014 shows that Britain currently enjoys a record low unemployment rate at 6.4 per cent and an increase in employment (+167,000 persons). The jobs market seems to also be improving for youngsters aged 16-24; their unemployment rate fell from 19 to 16.9 per cent. In addition, the British economy is in better shape than any of its other European counterparts,...