Financial Conduct Authority publish review for changes in high cost credit market
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are consulting on changes in the high cost credit market following an in-depth review. The organisation has announced new proposals designed to protect millions of people using overdrafts and high cost credit. Andrew Bailey, Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority said: “High-cost credit is used by over three million…
Latest Tech Nation event insights. What the experts say and concerns over talent slump.
The chief executive at Tech Nation, Gerard Grech, said four things stand out from the report: the UK tech sector is growing almost three times as fast as the wider economy; London beats Silicon Valley when it comes to the proportion of overseas customers; London is the second most connected tech hub, after Silicon Valley;…
UK Finance and Tech Sectors and Brexit
Reuters recently ran a survey of companies who employ the most workers in international finance. The conclusion – as many as 10,000 finance jobs will be created or shift overseas if the UK is denied access to the single market. The results came from 123 companies such as the biggest banks, insurers and asset managers,…
GDPR sees some major websites offline.
Many news agencies are today reporting the effect GDPR is having as it came into force today. Some of the headlines:- “Sites block users, shut down activities and flood inboxes as GDPR rules loom” ‘Major websites offline as GDPR comes into force. “Major websites offline and Facebook and Google accused of breaching new GDPR rules…
Many organisations unprepared for tomorrow’s GDPR deadline.
Gapgemini’s Digital Transformation Institute which has its headquarters in Paris have published their report on the readiness of companies, across the world, for GDPR. According to their survey, 85% of companies across Europe and the USA have stated they will not be ready for the deadline, this Friday, 25th May 2018. Many companies are concerned…
Samsung’s new Cambridge AI Research Lab.
Samsung’s executive vice president, Seunghwan Cho, said: “This new artificial intelligence research centre in Cambridge is one of the key milestones in the long-term strategy of the company. In this new world of connected devices and services based on AI, Samsung’s vision is to help people do their jobs and live their lives better. We…
Millions still struggling with personal debt.
In a survey conducted at the end of last year more than 6 million Britons said they don’t believe they will ever be debt free. Research has also found the average person in the UK owes £8,000 – on top of any mortgage debt. On top of that around 25% of all UK households said…
Tech Nation –Tech sector growing faster than the rest of the economy.
On 17th May the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport published the transcript of the speech given by The Rt. Hon Matt Hancock MP, Secretary of State for the Department. Read what he had to say below, “Good morning. It’s a great pleasure to be here and it’s a very exciting day to mark…
Bank of England – no rate rise this month.
Bank of England Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent said last Friday’ “Keeping British interest rates on hold this month was a straightforward decision, as it made sense to wait and see if first-quarter economic weakness was temporary.” The Bank of England (BoE) had said on Thursday that it would look for signs over the coming months…
Visas denied for skilled workers.
Recent figures obtained by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (Case), show that more than 1,600 IT specialists and engineers offered jobs in the UK were denied visas between December and March. Dr Sarah Main, Case’s executive director, said that job offers in areas where there were clear shortages, such as science and engineering, should…
HSBC uses blockchain technology for first time.
Earlier this month HSBC bank announced it had performed the world’s first trade finance transaction using a single blockchain platform. In a push to boost efficiency in the multi-trillion-dollar funding of international trade, the bank issued a letter of credit for U.S. food and agriculture firm Cargill. The trade finance transaction involved a bulk shipment…
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? no, it’s an Uber
If you have ever watched the 1997 sci fi film the ‘Fifth Element’ set in a future time when people get around in flying cars and have also sat in a traffic jam on one of the UK’s crowded roads you would not be alone in wishing the future was here and you could just…
UK households borrowing more than they save.
Leading credit agency Fitch reported a boom in consumer credit saying UK households are now borrowing more than they save. This is the first time we have seen this since the 1980s. Fitch say, this last happened 30 years ago during the ‘Lawson Boom’. Nigel Lawson was the then chancellor of the exchequer. This swing,…
Robot babysitters – new jobs for the future.
A recent McKinsey Global Institute report predicts that the bulk of jobs in future decades will be in fields such as elderly care and construction, where demand is driven by forces such as demographics, rather than automation. Michael Chui, a partner at McKinsey Global Institute, the research arm of the consulting firm, said “There’s a…
“Companies that use technology for competitive advantage will win”
Today, there are many who say that all companies are now tech companies, as the distinction between those that make technology and those that use it, is vanishing. Benedict Evans of Andreessen Horowitz, a recent guest on Masters in Business. Bloomberg said, ‘Stop thinking about technology as something separate and apart from other companies or industries. Today, every…
Think Tank says tax for pensioners should increase.
The Resolution Foundation, chaired by former conservative minister Lord Willetts have issued a report addressing, what many term, intergenerational fairness. The Resolution Foundation, is a research and policy organisation think tank and says these radical moves are needed to better fund the NHS and maintain social cohesion. Lord Willetts, its executive chairman, said an older…