Keeping up with the news can be tricky. Even the most eagle-eyed observer can miss a vital news story. We think being up-to-date on economic developments is key to the success of your startup.
Every Wednesday we provide the top 10 key bits of business news from the past week.
Inflation predicted to rise to 4% by the end of 2017
The National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) believes that the rise in prices will accelerate in 2017. It is predicted that inflation will hit 4% in the second half of next year.
Cybersecurity taking center stage
Philip Hammond wants to retaliate against cyber attacks. The previously announced £1.9bn that will be spent on cybersecurity is only the beginning. The new National Cyber Security Strategy has been put into place not only to deter attacks, but to encourage tech companies to base themselves in the UK.
Coal consumption plummeting
Major economies have reduced coal consumption resulting in a 2.8% fall in global carbon intensity. This is a positive step forward to meeting Paris climate goals.
Your car insurance could be determined by your Facebook posts
Admiral Insurance is going to analyse Facebook accounts of first-time car owners. This is to identify personality traits associated with safe driving such as language and punctuation use.
Solving London pollution crisis
9,500 early deaths in London are associated to illegal air pollution levels. By making central London diesel-free, the air pollution crisis could be solved.
Clean energy might be losing its privileges
A document was leaked outlining 4 scenarios in a bid to make Europe’s energy generators more cost-competitive. This may see windfarms and solar power lose priority over other energy sources on EU electricity grids.
Microsoft and Google swinging punches
Google revealed a security flaw in the Windows operating system which has put Microsoft on edge. Microsoft have been issued a week to fix it, however, they believe they need more time to develop a patch.
Vigilante, the app
Vigilante is an app that was launched in NYC last week. It aims to eradicate crime. Users are alerted about crimes reported to 911 so they can either avoid the area or film the crime as it develops to create more transparency.
YouTube at peace with Germany
For 7 years, several YouTube clips have been unable to display in Germany due to a German rights body (Gema) that represents musicians, composers and publishers. They have finally agreed to make payments by adding ads to clips containing ‘Gema-protected tracks’. This is a huge breakthrough for artists in the music industry.
Pricey UK housing
According to Nationwide, UK houses cost 6 times more than the average annual wage. House prices have risen by 20% where salaries have only risen by 6%.
