Business comment, opinions on the business news

COLUMN: Bill Midgley - Region is united in sycophancy Feb 13 2013

WELL into the new year and already it is business as usual. Sterling is in freefall, the balance of payments deficit widens, fuel costs have increased and we look to be heading for round three of economic depression.Read

COLUMN: Nigel Begg - Connecting with others a faster way Feb 13 2013

SESSION Initiation Protocol – more commonly referred to as SIP – is one of the fastest growing technologies today with many businesses choosing to migrate away from traditional ISDN lines in favour of SIP trunks.Read

COLUMN: Robert Gibson - A baby challenge for our businesses Feb 13 2013

WE are all of us delighted to learn of a new arrival in the world. Proud and tired Mums and Dads. Then, the difficult part starts – juggling career and child care.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Hebden - Forget the headlines of tomorrow Feb 12 2013

SAY it cautiously, but the economy might just be turning a corner. That was the message from CBI director- general John Cridland on a visit to Cumbria for the region’s annual dinner last week. Read

COLUMN: Andrew Miller - Surge can keep on going Feb 11 2013

HOW far can stocks climb? As markets edge higher, a sense of vertigo is understandable. We noted last week that most investors are indeed far from complacent.Read

COLUMN: Kevin Rowan - Forget grandstanding, PM must look to Europe for answers Feb 11 2013

THE 3% cut to the EU budget after last week’s marathon summit amounts to a tiny proportion of public spending throughout the European Union – less than 1%.Read

COLUMN: Lindsey Whiterod - £4.5m marine school set to open its doors Feb 07 2013

TOMORROW, we open our vastly modernised marine school, a £4.5m investment that is bringing more than 150 years of world-famous seafaring teaching into the 21st Century.Read

COLUMN: Dr Ray Lowry - What your ringtone has to say Feb 07 2013

THERE was a time when presentations just involved a speaker, a platform and an audience. Those days are long gone.Read

COLUMN: James Ramsbotham - Cuts must not impact on growth in region Feb 06 2013

THE size of the task facing Newcastle City Council as it works through some of the biggest budget cuts in recent history has been well reported within these pages.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Miller - Dips not due to renewed downturn Feb 06 2013

REPORTS of a double or even triple-dip in the UK economy are a little misleading.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Hebden - Help is at hand for our forgotten army Feb 05 2013

THEY have been called the ‘forgotten army’ of firms – overlooked by policymakers but with the capacity to inject up to £50bn into the economy by 2020.Read

COLUMN: Kevin Rowan - Please don’t mess about with the East Coast Main Line Feb 04 2013

THE annual Rail Passenger Satisfaction survey showed some interesting results.Read

COLUMN: Ross Smith - Investment crucial to moving on Jan 30 2013

WITH the Baftas on the horizon and Hollywood gearing up for Oscars season, it seems time to be pushing a list of candidates for award consideration.Read

COLUMN: Sarah Green - Keeping up pressure over travel Jan 29 2013

TRANSPORT issues are rarely out of the headlines in The Journal and this week has been no exception.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Miller - Is it time to take out portfolio protection? Jan 28 2013

STOCKS have outpaced other assets – including high-yield credit – by more than enough to compensate for their higher risk.Read

COLUMN: Kevin Rowan - Let's hope it doesn't take a riot Jan 28 2013

IT is worth a short reprise of last week’s verdict on the Government’s strategy: GDP down by 0.3% in 2012, still lower than 2008; manufacturing down 1.5% and services flat – the only positive boost coming from a fortunately timed Olympic games.Read

COLUMN: Ross Smith - Businesses must make the most of RGF cash Jan 26 2013

THE Government has hardly proved benevolent when it comes to providing financial support to businesses since coming to power, but it’s fair to say the North East has profited more than most from its primary source of funding.Read

COLUMN: Bill Midgley - Plenty of worth in small firm Jan 25 2013

A PIECE of news that appeared over the festive period was the report that Britain’s largest button manufacturer has closed down – a business that existed for some 155 years.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Miller - Gains could see many take profits Jan 23 2013

STOCKS have outpaced other assets - including high-yield credit - by more than enough to compensate for their higher risk. The S&P 500 is within 5% of its October 2007 summit and pundits are talking (again) of investor complacency.Read

COLUMN: Kevin Rowan - Striking a balance on Europe Jan 21 2013

THE Prime Minister was right, of course, to postpone the much-anticipated speech on the UK’s future relationship with the European Union in light of the extremely serious situation in Algeria last week.Read