Business News Articles

Barclays make an extra £1.5bn available to small firms
Barclays bank has announced that it is to increase the amount of money available to small businesses in 2009 by £1.5bn, bringing the total available to £16.5bn. The bank will also make its CreditFocus credit-checking service available to all small firms in the UK, regardless of whether or not they are Barclays customers. CreditFocus provides users with the ability to credit check and be re... more

CBI calls for public sector pension reforms
Public sector pensions require reform on a similar scale to those in the private sector to tackle a potential ‘pensions time bomb' according to the Confederation of British industry (CBI). The CBI have called on the government to set up a independent commission to look at the rising cost of public sector pensions and to make proposals for change. "The debt that is being racked up is truly ... more

UK office space tops global fund managers list for best value
The UK commercial market is currently offering the best value in the world, according to a review by global property fund manager LaSalle Investment Management. LaSalle has told its clients that across global property markets the UK has fallen first and hardest, making it an extremely attractive area for investment. The property fund company, which manages over £30bn of assets, believes tha... more

UK ‘only halfway through housing slump’
UK house prices will fall by a total of 30% from peak to trough, according to the head of Barclays Bank. ... more

Banks pledge more small business support
Banks have promised to offer greater help to small businesses during the economic downturn but warned they would not support companies that could not survive. ... more

Report advises small firms to re-negotiate their contracts
Small companies are being advised that significant financial savings can be made by re-negotiating existing contracts. A report published by international management consultancy The Gap Partnership proposes that the value held within contracts signed six months ago or more has shifted significantly. Small firms should re-negotiate contracts to reflect the changing financial situation so the ... more

RBS chairman defends banks lending policies to small firms
The Royal Bank of Scotland chairman has hit back at suggestions that banks have tightened lending to small businesses. British banks have come under increased pressure recently to increase their lending to small and medium sized companies after receiving 5£00bn in a government bailout. Many SMEs have reported that they are struggling to receive loans from banks, that the Bank of England's r... more

Entrepreneur James Cann urges small firm owners to network
ollowing research revealing that small business owners are networking less, serial entrepreneur and Dragons' Den star James Caan has urged businesses to make a concerted effort to network. Research by T-Mobile found that over 80% of senior decision makers at small companies have reduced time spent at traditional face-to-face networking events for fear of being out of the office for too long. ... more

Graduates will compromise on pay but not training
Graduates are prepared to move around the country and accept lower salaries in the current climate but won’t compromise in other areas. ... more

Advertising spend to drop by 6% in 2009
UK advertising spend will fall by 6% in 2009, according to media buying agency Group M... more