Industry Property Review of the Year
What a difference a year can make!
Like every property market, the industrial/warehouse marketplace has had a particularly challenging year. The “warm and cosy” conditions that we had become accustomed to have turned very cold and brittle.
The statistics tell the tale well. To add to the difficulty in the market place, there is an increase in the supply available. And the figure is likely to increase next year dependent on the outcome of the administration of Woolworths. The new development marketplace for industrial buildings has virtually ground to a halt with credit crunch restricting the supply of money into this market. At present there are no new industrial/warehouse building being built and it is unlikely to change soon.
The Government has not helped matters by introducing empty rates payments on vacant buildings which has put occupiers and investors under more financial pressure. The recent minor changes announced by the Government will have little or no effort. The increased overheads have resulted in the demolition of buildings to avoid empty rates payments. All this gloom put to one side, there is still a market and the picture is not as miserable as people think at the first place. Notable deals for the year have seen some activities. As to the future, 2009 looks as if it may be a more difficult trading period than 2008.
Lockerbie Plans For Top Data Hubs
The world’s largest data center, a new business park and a sustainable village with hundreds of homes could be created in the south-west of Scotland under an ambitious 800 million pound development plan.
The Peelhouses data centre and sustainable village in Lockerbie would generate some of its power from wind turbines and a new bio-mass station. With global demand for data storage expected to double by 2012, demand already outstrips supply. A planning application for the development is expected to be filed in March. Data centres house servers and back-up storage systems for websites and business. The new village, linked to lockerbie by paths and cycle ways, would also help meet demand for social housing in the area.
How to Save Money During Christmas
During the time of credit crunch, having a thrifty little Christmas becomes the No.1 option of many families across the world.
There are many simple ways to save money during holidays. Some of them are listed below. You might already have tried several of them.
First of all, the cost of purchasing Christmas cards could be considerably high.
Always bear in mind that Christmas cards usually go on sale in December. So, the longer you wait, the better!
This Christmas, it might be necessary for you to scale down sending Christmas cards to the people you would like to get in touch with the most. You can send postcards or letters, instead of Christmas cards as they require less postage than a regular card.
You can make Christmas cards by yourself or simply cut the old Christmas cards from last year in half, and send the pretty side as a postcard.
All these ideas work great, plus you’re being ‘earth friendly’ by keeping new cards out of the garbage dumps.
Secondly, pretty Wrapping Paper, ribbons and bows could be very expensive as well. Why not use some pretty magazine pages or comic section of your newspaper to wrap small gifts. They could be very individual and fashionable. And reuse the saved wrapping paper and wrapping decoration can also be good.
Last but not least, for entertainment, though it could wonderful to take your family to the movie theater during the Christmas holiday, this could also be a good time to catch up on the videos that have come out for rental during the holiday season.
Hope that there will be a few more ideas you can add to your frugal holiday traditions.
UK Watchdog Tests Life Assurers
According to report by Financial Times, the UK’s biggest life assurers have been asked by regulators to test if their financial strength could withstand a series of further shocks, sparking industry speculation that the move could be a prelude to enforce capital raising.
The chief City watchdog has written to life assureres requiring them to test their ability to cope with a number of extreme scenarios with a 40% fall in equity markets. This move underlines the concern of Financial Services Authority about the strength of the life insurance industry. Some life assurers are anxious about that the FSA will use the results of the exercise, which also includes testing for further cuts in interest rates and a significant rise in corporate bond defaults, to force the industry to raise capital at the bottom of the market.
It is indicated by the regulator that in order to avoid forcing life assurers to sell equities or bonds in falling markets, it will be flexible if insurers are struggling to meet some of the capital demands amid the turmoil.
Some executives are worried about the impact of any speculation over the results of the “knee jerk” test on life assurers’ share price. It is possible that the exercise could put UK insurers at a competitive disadvantage compared with overseas rivals.
Food Sales Keep Belhaven Strong
Pubs and brewing group Greene King’s Belhaven operation bucked the trend in tough first half trading, as the group suggested Scotland might also prove more resilient to any deepening downturn next year.
Considering the further impact on discretionary spend of rising unemployment, increasing negative housing equity and continued high consumer debt levels, the market environment is expected to become even more challenging in the next year.
However, it is revealed that the Scottish division of the company bucks trend as half-year profits rise by 10%. The Scottish performance was said to be enhanced by imporved food sales in managed pubs.
New Credit Line Opened For Irish Borrowers
Bank of Scotland’s Irish division pledged 1 billion pound of lending to support needy business and consumers next year.
The bank said it would focus on supporting mortgage customers in personal banking through the Halifax brand, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. Specific funds and schemes will be set up target cvustomers who are most in need during these difficult times. Two of the schemes, a 100 million pound first-time buyers fund and a 100 million pound hotel support fund, have already been launched.
Luxury Golf Resort Still On
The Trump Organization has strenuously denied it was scaling back on developments including its luxury golf resort in north-east Scotland, because of the credit crisis and a series of legal and financial battles.
It said none of the issues facing the firm would affect the 1 billion pound scheme at Menie Estate.
-
Stock Quotes
-
Categories
-
Archives
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
-
Links
-
Meta
Welcome to Euro Station
