US unemployment claims just hit their lowest point since 1973 July 23, 2015 The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits just dropped to its lowest level since the seventies, suggesting the economy is continuing to warm up. Jobless claims fell by 26,000 last week, down to 255,000, and this bullish picture comes on the tails of a report showing that the number of US jobs posted in [...]
This chart shows just how many startups are launched worldwide every second July 23, 2015 London may be particularly fertile ground for startups, but entrepreneurs abound worldwide. Every year, millions of hopefuls take a stab at their dream venture. In fact, from Silicon Roundabout to Silicon Valley, the sheer number of startups launched globally can be hard to grasp. A staggering 100 million businesses are launched annually, according to figures [...]
HMRC targeting “app economy” in crackdown on tax evaders July 23, 2015 HMRC wants to extend its data-gathering powers to be able to access data from Google and Apple app stores. The state tax collector wants to tackle tax evasion in the “app economy” using data from app stores and online platforms as it believes that this will provide information on digital businesses that have not declared [...]
The London Underground really is getting more crowded – here are the 10 busiest Tube stations July 23, 2015 Think your trip to work is more crowded than it was? You’re not just imagining it. And yes, the throngs at Oxford Circus really are getting worse. Passengers passing through the Tube station increased 29 per cent between 2010 and 2014, and are now nearing the 100m mark. But the tourist hotspot isn't the only [...]
American Express share price slides as strong dollar weighs heavily on sales July 22, 2015 The figures American Express posted earnings that will put a smile on shareholders’ faces, but the financial services company’s sales fell short of forecasts. Revenue fell even further than expected, down to $8.28bn, against expectations of $8.45bn for the quarter. Earnings per share, however came in at $1.42, easily beating expectations of $1.33. AmEx shares [...]
US markets fall, dragged by tech giants Apple, Facebook, Twitter share price sliding July 22, 2015 US markets were weighed down by plunging tech stocks after disappointing results from several giants, with Apple leading the fall after iPhone sales missed forecasts. Wall Street was weighed down by a Silicon Valley that was decidedly glum today, with Dow Jones closing 1 per cent down and Nasdaq 0.5 per cent. After yesterday's earnings [...]
Barack Obama and White House in final stages of drafting plan to close Guantanamo prison July 22, 2015 A White House spokesperson has confirmed that US president Barack Obama is in the "final stages" of drafting a plan to close the prison at Guantanamo, Reuters has reported. The military prison has been a source of controversy since it opened in 2002, with Amnesty International calling it the “Gulag of our times” after reports [...]
Google Maps introduces dystopian new location history feature called Your Timeline July 22, 2015 Depending on your point of view, this is either a dystopian vision of the future or a handy way to retrace your past steps. Either way, Google Maps has just introduced a new feature that lets you look back at your full location history. Which means Google knows everywhere you've been… The feature, called Your [...]
Commodities plunge to 13 year-low dragged down by mining shares July 22, 2015 Commodity prices continue to plunge, as falling mining shares dragged a commodity index down to its lowest point since 2002. Bloomberg’s commodity price index, tracking gold, crude oil and other raw materials, has plunged by 40 per cent since 2011. Today the index fell to 95.5 points, its lowest point in 13 years. Mining shares [...]
George Osborne’s train named Northern Powerhouse breaks down three times in four months July 21, 2015 Is the Northern Powerhouse running out of steam already? Back in March chancellor George Osborne renamed a refurbished Class 319 electric train operated by Northern Rail, the 'Northern Powerhouse' – supposedly as a symbol of the transformation he is pushing for northern England with his multi-billion Northern Powerhouse project. But the train has broken down [...]
