UK urged by IMF to bring forward high value spending

LONDON - In a critique of the United Kingdom's austerity programme, the International Monetary Fund Wednesday urged the Europe's third largest economy to rebalance the policy to make the transition to a high-investment and more export-oriented economy. "The UK could boost growth by bringing forward measures already included in its fiscal plan, such as spending on infrastructure and job ...

Overall economy likely to pick up in Q2 says German central bank

FRANKFURT - Germany's central bank Deutsche Bundesbank expects the country's economy to improve "markedly" in the second quarter relying on signals of pick up in industrial orders and likelihood of weather related downturn in construction sector no longer impacting investment sentiments a development that could boost the wider eurozone as it struggles to get out of recession. "Overall ...

Housing market picking up in UK

LONDON - The UK housing market seems to be picking up with gross mortgage lending up 4.3 per cent in April over previous month to 12.1 billion pounds, the highest in over four years, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The mortgage lending was 21% higher than April 2012, but this data is skewed by the end of the stamp duty concession on 24 March, 2012. Under the stamp duty ...

Britain steps up security after soldier killed in London attack

British military have been ordered to step up security dramatically following yesterday's brutal attack in southeast London in which a soldier was killed and partially decapitated by two machete-wielding ...

It’s a dog’s life – but not for our Walter

Last Sunday, my wife decided to pack me, Liam and Walter into the car and head to the beach. Summer was making one of its occasional, fleeting passes through Ireland, and she thought we should take advantage of the sunshine while we ...