UK Business News

The almost iconic UK-based construction machine manufacturer JCB is predicting a flat year ahead, this off the back of a healthy 20% rise in pre-profits in 2007; sales rose by 28% to £2.25bn.
Having its eggs in many baskets, however, has proven prudential as although JCB will undoubtedly feel the pinch of a stalling construction market, [...]

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As promised by Business and Enterprise Secretary, John Hutton and in parallel with the budget, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has published its white paper ‘Enterprise: Unlocking the UK’s Talent’.
It sets out a 10-year planned approach to ensure the UK becomes a hot-bed of growth for new and existing business. It’s stated aim [...]

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As a rule trying to please all the people, all the time, is a recipe for failure but Alistair
Darling’s first budget seems to have succeeded based on responses from Business groups.
Or maybe he just tried not to hack them all off, either way the budget news went down well. The fly in the ointment was [...]

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Amid all the turmoil of senior management changes at Marks & Spencer there continues a steady approach to supporting the Defined Benefit [Final salary in old money] pension scheme deficit.
M&S has agreed with the scheme to pre-fund £200m of contributions over the next 3 years. The company will do this by further leveraging the property-backed partnership it [...]

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The Confederation of British Industry’s tax reform task force has now reported on UK business taxation, calling for radical change.
12 tax experts from a spread of leading domestic and UK-based international companies have drafted ‘UK Business tax: a compelling case for change’. Their view is that increasing tax burdens and an inflexible approach is damaging [...]

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