LSBF Blog - Global Matters
Bookkeepers to benefit from UK digital tax accounts
The UK tax system has been undergoing some important changes, and the introduction of digital tax accounts is set to become one of the most significant.
Now a CEO of a highly respected accountancy body thinks that HRMC's latest moves could eventually have big benefits for bookkeepers.
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CEBR warns UK economy could face slowdown due to weak exports
The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has warned in a new forecast that the current economic recovery in the UK may not be sustainable.
Weak exports and decreasing investment in business means that any increase over the next five years could hinge on continued growth in household spending.
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SME manufacturing growth hit by skills shortage, shows survey
More than one in four of Britain's manufacturing SME's are having their potential for growth held back by a shortage of skilled workers according to a new survey.
MHA, the UK-wide group of accountancy and business advisory firms, has made the claim in its latest annual Manufacturing Survey, which sampled 400 mainly small and medium sized manufacturing and engineering businesses in the UK.
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Global volatility slowing financial services growth, shows research
The latest CBI/PwC Financial Services Survey has found that financial services firms experienced slowed growth in business volumes during the three months leading to September.
The rise in overall business volumes was at the slowest pace in two years, coming on the back of almost two years of strong expansion. However, overall optimism about business was stable due to over two and half years of continuous improvement.
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Accountancy profession and natural capital go together, says report
The issue of Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) is a concept that should be promoted among businesses, investors, governments and wider society, according to three leading professional, campaigning and business organisations.
In their latest joint paper, The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Flora & Fauna International (FFI) and the Big 4 firm KPMG highlight the importance of NCA across a wide range of operations.
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US economy expected to grow faster than previously estimated
According to revised official figures, the second quarter of the year saw the US economy grow faster than previously anticipated.
The surprise positive news was due to strong consumer spending, business investment and residential construction, according to the US Department of Commerce.
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IASB consults on IFRS 9 interim measures
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is going to consult on measures that need to temporarily be put into place to cover issues in the insurance industry surrounding the introduction of IFRS 9 Financial Instruments.
The new insurance contracts standard will involve significant changes, and the independent standard-setting body of the IFRS Foundation will provide a transparent process in the run up to its application in regard to the new financial instruments standard.
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Earning gap between female graduates and non-graduates is over three times, shows report
A new academic report has found that women who graduate with a degree earn three times as much as those who do not.
According to researchers at the think tank Institute for Fiscal Studies, in association with Cambridge and Harvard universities, there is a £13,200 graduate premium for yearly wages.
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HMRC outlines how businesses can reimburse electric car usage by employees
HM Revenue and Customs has set out how a business can reimburse employees for costs incurred by using electric cars for work purposes.
Previously, HMRC’s failure to recognise electricity as a type of fuel has been used by some companies as a reason for not making more use of the eco-friendly vehicles in their fleets.
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Moral courage to drive value needed in boardroom, says accountants group
Corporate boardrooms must use "moral courage" to drive forward value, according to a global group of accountants.
The group, Chartered Accountants Worldwide, believes that the prevalence of social media and the overall culture of the digital age mean that there is now a direct link between value creation and ethics.
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Businesses lose over £200bn to cyber attacks a year globally, reveals study
Cyber attacks have cost businesses across the world more than £200 billion over the past year, according to new research from Grant Thornton International Ltd.
The Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) surveyed 2,500 business leaders in 35 countries and found that in excess of one in every six businesses fell victim to a cyber attack in the past 12 months.
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Steep rise for UK deficit follows fall in tax receipts
Income tax receipts have unexpectedly fallen, and as a result, Britain’s deficit has risen to
£12.1bn in August. The figure represents the largest shortfall in government funding since 2012.
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5 steps to securing your dream career
Whether they’re studying at university or obtaining practical experience at a company, there are a lot of people working towards chasing their dream careers today. There are also many people who may not be so sure of what they have to do to get there.
Once upon a time, all you needed to do to achieve your career aspirations was demonstrate a keen interest in your chosen industry. Times have changed a lot since then, but ambition hasn’t faded. That means that achieving your goals now requires a lot more effort and a much more colourful CV.
Are you looking to enter a new career? If you’re at a loss as to what to do next, here are the five steps you should take towards securing your dream job.
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Tax avoidance crackdown nets £1bn for HMRC
The continued efforts by HMRC to clamp down on tax avoidance have seen definite results, according to a new announcement from Treasury Secretary David Gauke.
Under new rules introduced last year regarding accelerated payments, some avoidance scheme users have been hit by having to pay disputed tax up front.
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Oil and commodity prices cause 2% FTSE 100 fall
Yesterday, commodity prices declined and caused a 2% drop in morning trade on the UK market.
This meant the benchmark FTSE 100 fell below the 6,000 level, with mining shares leading the fall after commodity prices continued their downward trend.
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New EU accounting standard a challenge for banking industry, says ECB chief
Daniele Nouy, the European Central Bank's supervisory chief, has said that the introduction of a new accounting standard for financial instruments will present a challenge for the banking industry.
The chair of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank said modelling for expected losses will be particularly affected.
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Deloitte reports strong growth with revenues of $35.2 billion
Deloitte reported aggregate revenues amounting to $35.2 billion in its most recent figures.
The new figures, covering the fiscal year ended 31 May 2015, were announced alongside the company's Annual Global Report, which also showed growth across the Big 4 firm's core practices, industry sectors and geographic regions.
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Chief economist says BoE may cut rate before any increase
According to its chief economist Andy Haldane, The Bank of England's next move may well be to cut rates rather than raise them as has been widely expected.
The surprise turnaround would be due to the increased risk of deflation if the UK economy does not pick up in the second half of this year.
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UK updates laws governing consumer rights
New laws governing how businesses in the UK operate will come into effect on 1st October 2015 as part of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Returns and complaints policies, staff training and terms and conditions all come under the spotlight of the new regulations.
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PwC and Sage announce new alliance to boost SME ties
Software giant Sage and Big 4 firm PwC have announced a new collaboration aimed at pushing forward global SME connections and growing UK activities.
The accounting software company and Big 4 firm are rolling out the new project in the UK before extending it across their international operations.
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US tax law firm Burt, Staples & Maner LLP merges with E&Y
Ernst & Young (E&Y) has merged with tax law firm Burt, Staples & Maner LLP in a move that sees the Big 4 firm expanding its international tax practice.
The law firm, based in Washington, DC, specialises in information reporting and withholding (IRW) and will be working closely with E&Y's worldwide network on international corporate tax reporting issues.
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£140bn added to UK economy by robots, says Deloitte
A new analysis of ONS labour force data by Deloitte has dug deep into the stats involving the effects of automation on the UK economy.
The new study found that in the last 15 years, jobs in sectors such as technology, high-tech manufacturing, and financial and professional services have lost 800,000 jobs to automated process or machines.
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LSBF survey finds nearly 50% of UK workers want to change careers
Nearly half of the UK work force is looking for a career change, a new report produced by London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) suggests.
The study found that 47% of respondents wanted to change careers, though many were unsure when they would go ahead with it. Of those who did have a concrete plan, most were thinking of leaving their current roles in two years or earlier.
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New financial reporting standard will lead to fundamental change, says IASB chief
The chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board, Hans Hoogervorst, has said the new IFRS 9 standard will give investors better insight on loan loss risks.
The IASB is the independent standard-setting body of the IFRS Foundation, which works with investors, analysts, regulators and others in the global accountancy sector.
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Oil price too volatile to predict, claims Shell boss
Ben van Beurden, chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell, has admitted that he hasn't a clue what will happen to oil prices in the coming months.
When posed the question by the BBC, Van Beurden replied: "The honest answer to that is I don't know."
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