Business and Economics

By Stephen Angus Peter Junor It is well-known that China has invested heavily in Africa for some years now and it is no coincidence that Africa is beginning to record increasing levels of growth. The World Bank estimated 2013 growth at 4.7 per cent with growth this year set to be around 5.2 per cent, supported by strong foreign investment primarily from China. The recently announced New Development Bank (NDB), founded by BRICS will further increase the influence of China on...

  By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Print and mailing specialists, CFH Docmail, recently announced energy savings of 20% at its main facilities in Radstock, Somerset, and is now busy rolling-out the most energy efficient postal service in the UK. Through Velopost – a local bicycle mail collection and delivery service – CFH Docmail has achieved the UK’s first carbon-neutral postal service, operating in three cities currently, with further expansion planned. The journey to energy-saving has been a long one, but...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor In the UK we may live in a more multi-cultural society but according to one academic a “little Englander mentality” still exists, harming the British economy. Dr Steve McCabe, Business expert at Birmingham City University made the statement following calls from MPs to improve the teaching of modern languages. An All-Party Parliamentary Group on modern languages wants to see a "national recovery programme" to improve language skills. They urged all parties to make an election...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The King's Cross project is the largest area of urban redevelopment in Europe and it will include the largest new street in London since Kingsway in 1904; the largest public square since Trafalgar Square in 1845. An increase in tenant demand, from both creative companies and large corporations, has seen a recent explosion in the number of business centres in Kings Cross. With 10 serviced offices having recently opened, Instant - who deliver innovative workspace...

  By Robin Murray Brown of London-based executive search firm, Tyzack - www.tyzackpartners.com Whilst the digital era provides substantial opportunities for corporate growth and expansion, it also brings unprecedented challenges in relation to company security, and particularly the security of customer, supplier and proprietary data. It has been suggested that victims of cybercrime lose around £245 billion each year worldwide, making it more profitable than the global trade in marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined.Little wonder then that the cyber threat...

By Valentina Magri Money makes Brits happy, but what helps make Brits money? Schooling plays a pivotal role in earning a good income later in life. Better educated people enjoy better jobs and are more likely to take up managerial posts, but there are some schools that are more suited to helping you achieve this goal. A new report released by Sutton Trust, based on data analysis by the Social Market Foundation (SMF), has identified an imbalance in the way...

These are the top ten properties for July 2014, all prices are according to Zoopla. Prices are up, so sadly you will be getting less for your money than last month…  10. £160,000, 1 bed flat, 1 Arboretum, Barking, Essex IG11 Flat with communal gardens with open plan reception room. The kitchen is fitted with a contemporary range of base and high level units. The bedroom has mirror fronted wardrobes providing hanging and storage space. http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/33309301 9. £160,00, 1 bed...

By Render Positive London was never a particularly cheap place to live – in fact, Rightmove’s figures suggest that the average asking price of a property in London has risen by £80,000 since the start of 2014. As a result, prices are now at an all-time high, and only look set to rise in future. However, as is to be expected, some boroughs are significantly more expensive than others, with some enjoying a meteoric rise in prices following different developments,...

By Marcus Hunt Peer-to-peer lending is a highly innovative means of businesses acquiring capital; crowdsourcing loans from dozens of small investors is a way for both parties to secure better interest rates by cutting out the cumbersome middle-men at the banks. From humble beginnings, sites like Zopa, Ratesetter and Funding Circle have now facilitated loans of over £1 billion to small and medium-sized British businesses. However, I think that there is good reason to believe that over the medium-term the...