Business News Articles

Record fine for Network Rail
Network Rail has been hit with a record £14m fine by the rail regulator for its failure to complete engineering works on time over the Christmas and new year period. The overrun at Rugby meant the year started with travel chaos for thousands of commuters and business travellers after the West Coast Main Line was crippled for four days. ... more

Franchise beats high street names
Computer repair franchise Pitman Computer Support has beaten competition from the likes of Comet and PC World in a magazine's ranking of expert repair services. Windows Vista magazine suggested the company's franchise business model lent itself to a higher standard of service than larger high street organisations. ... more

SMEs fear over IT security
Half of all small companies fear their IT network is open to attack, according to new research. In a poll of the key IT drivers and challenges for 2008, over half of those questioned said they feared their current setup did not deliver effective protection for their business. ... more

Family men do most overtime
Men with children are the most likely group to put in unpaid overtime, according to research by the TUC. The organisation found that men with children put in an average of 8.3 hours a week over time. Women without children were the next most likely, ahead of men without children and working mothers. ... more

Family firms face tax clampdown
Family firms are facing a government clampdown on the practice of income-shifting that could affect up to 300,000 companies. The practice involves couples who jointly own a company splitting the profits between them in such a way as to minimise their tax exposure. ... more

Google is UK’s top brand
Internet search engine Google has been voted the top brand in the UK by 1,500 marketing professional in a survey by branding specialist Superbrands. Google is followed in the list of brands with the best reputation by Microsoft, BP and the BBC, which took top spot in 2007. ... more

Online boost for retail sales
Internet shoppers spent more online than in any other January and the total spend was 75% higher than in 2007, according to new figures. IMRG Capgemini e-retail sales index revealed that £4.5bn was spent online in January, with electrical goods and clothes the most popular categories. ... more

High street sales rise in January
Falling retail prices helped high street sales pick up more than expected in January, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics. The data revealed that sales grew by 0.8% in January after falling by 0.2% in December as the impact of the credit crunch took hold. ... more

Employees downbeat over benefits
One in three UK employees expects to take a cut in their total pay package this year, while a tenth also expect their company pension to suffer. According to research by pensions and employee benefits consultancy Hymans Robertson, there is a divide between low employee expectations and the optimistic view expressed by many HR managers. ... more

Small firms predict online growth
The vast majority of small businesses predict significant online growth in 2008 despite the challenging economic circumstances. Research carried out by Loudhouse Research on behalf of business ISP Star Technology Services suggests that 85% of small business owners anticipate a rise in their online sales. ... more