Business and Economics

MPs have slammed the senior levels of management at Carillion for its untimely demise. Carillion’s auditor KPMG, was also heavily criticised, with MPs claiming they were “complicit” in the company’s “questionable” accounting practices. A hugely damning report, that runs to 100 pages, has been compiled by two select committees on the matter. One of the most shocking findings is that Carillion’s directors focused on bonus pay-outs to senior executives even as the firm teetered on the brink of collapse. Additionally...

Arriving late, wearing inappropriate clothes - and bumping a colleague’s vehicle in the car park are among the biggest blunders made by employees on their first day at work, a study has found. A poll of almost 3,000 workers revealed almost half have made a bad first impression after having a terrible or humiliating start to a new job. Others arrived to find they were completely over-dressed, spilled tea everywhere, got lost en-route to the office and said something inappropriate...

With the surprise announcement by President Trump to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum, many countries have been scrambling to deal with the potential ramifications. Trump has since exempted the European Union, as well as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and South Korea. But what does this mean for EU trade with China? And how does it affect the United Kingdom? When Trump announced his plans to impose tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminum,...

As the date to leave the EU comes ever closer another company is jumping ship before Brexit actually begins. This time it is Thomson Reuters who have said they will shift their foreign exchange derivatives trading to Ireland. The outfit will relocate to Dublin so they can continue to do business within the EU. There are fears of a mass exodus of companies, especially in financial services, in the run up to Brexit. A spokesperson said: “Thomson Reuters has commenced...

Almost one third of UK employees would NOT feel comfortable talking to their manager about mental health problems for fear of being judged, a study found. Researchers who carried out a detailed study found in excess of nine million workers would ‘dread’ discussing their mental wellbeing with their superior. According to the data one fifth fear they would be ostracised, while another 36 per cent think confiding in their boss would hamper their career. And 71 per cent STILL consider...

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for all Navy vessels to be built in the UK. There has been speculation that a £1bn contract for three new Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships could go to a foreign shipyard. The Ministry of Defence contract is expected to go out to international tender later this month. Visiting Glasgow, the Labour leader said building the ships somewhere in the UK could secure more than 6,500 jobs - 1,800 of these in shipyards....

Over the last decade, the Maltese economy has gone from strength-to-strength. Although the country has less than half a million residents, the Maltese economy has gone from pillar-to-post and it is staggering how well the country has developed across several key industries. Today, the Maltese economy is heavily reliant on foreign trade and investment, manufacturing (particularly pharmaceuticals and electronics), and tourism. Given that Malta sits just below Italy, it is a prime location in the Mediterranean and it attracts millions...

A pioneering new citizens’ wealth fund in the UK could provide a universal annual cash dividend and eventually a weekly basic income, a new report has claimed. According to research by City, University of London and the Friends Provident Foundation the UK government should create a citizens’- owned investment fund to pay for an annual cash payment to everyone in the country. The report says the fund would be a powerful new anti-inequality instrument, allowing a dividend of £430 per person after...

Sainsbury's boss Mike Coupe was caught singing to himself between TV interviews, regarding the merger of Sainsbury's and ASDA. He sang: "We're in the money while sipping on a coffee from Cafe Nero. Sainsbury’s and Walmart-owned Asda have agreed terms for a merger worth some £12bn. He later apologised for the 'unfortunate choice of song' At least 75 ASDA stores could close in merger with Sainsbury’s, according to new analysis. The recently-announced merger will create Britain’s biggest supermarket chain, but...