Image copyright Matterport Image caption Some systems can work out exact dimensions It’s Saturday evening in London, and I’m house shopping in Dublin, thanks to a virtual-reality headset. Temporarily forgetting she is sitting beside me, I shout to my wife: “I’m in the children’s bedroom.” We can’t go to the Republic of Ireland ourselves to do this. Travellers from Great… Read more →
Image copyright Reuters “Timely, temporary and targeted” was the advice given to the Treasury Select Committee on stimulating the economy by the former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers in the depths of the 2008 financial crisis. These words found their way into the pre-Budget documents to describe the immediate 13-month VAT cut from 17.5% to 15% announced by then Chancellor… Read more →
Image copyright Getty Images UK retail sales partly recovered in May, driven by DIY stores and garden centres reopening amid the lockdown. The amount of goods sold last month increased by 12%, in comparison with record falls seen in April, according to the Office for National Statistics. Sales were boosted by a 42% rise at household goods stores, such as… Read more →
Image caption Mr Wolsey’s Merchant Hotel is one of Belfast’s most luxurious Bill Wolsey knows something about trading in times of adversity. He opened a £16m extension to his flagship Merchant Hotel in 2010, a time when Northern Ireland was mired in a gruelling recession. He worked through that and was ultimately able to grow his business. Now he’s worried… Read more →
Image copyright AFP The European Central Bank has taken further dramatic measures try to boost the eurozone economies, amid their biggest recession since World War Two. Just months after emergency measures, the central bank said it would increase the size of its bond buying programme by €600bn (£546bn) to €1.35tn. The programme will run until June 2021, six months longer… Read more →
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Since estate agents were allowed to reopen, demand for rental homes has increased faster than in the sales market Lockdown break-ups, job losses and urgent relocations are thought to have led to a surge in the rental sector. Demand for lettings in Great Britain is up by 22% compared to last year, according to… Read more →
Image caption It is hoped that the centre will make Scotland a world leader in advanced manufacturing The Scottish government has announced an additional £20m of funding for Scotland’s first national manufacturing centre of excellence. The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) aims to make Scotland a world leader in advanced manufacturing. It will include a skills academy and industry-led research… Read more →
Image copyright Activision Blizzard Two of the biggest names in video gaming have seen demand jump as virus lockdowns force people to stay at home. The makers of popular games Call of Duty (COD) and FIFA say player numbers have soared during the pandemic. That’s boosted the financial performance at Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts for the first three months… Read more →