Business comment, opinions on the business news

How do we tackle youth joblessness? Jul 19 2011

WE can't just hope that the economic cycle will provide the answer.Read

No, we’re not in this together Jul 18 2011

MANY people are more than tired of hearing that “we’re all in this together”; a line that could reasonably be expected to haunt Osborne in the way that Norman Lamont’s assertion that unemployment was “a price worth paying”.Read

Rising tuition fees sparking debate Jul 15 2011

THE prospect of rising tuition fees at universities has prompted national debate and repeated front page headlines.Read

At the sharp end of cuts Jul 14 2011

LAST month saw two visits from members of Parliament which highlight a slightly different attitude from the Government in terms of accessibility.Read

Celebrating the best in exporting Jul 13 2011

THIS week brings a great opportunity to celebrate some of our region’s best success stories at the North East Exporter’s Awards.Read

Challenge for business Jul 12 2011

REBALANCING our economy from public to private, from imports to exports and from south to north is the key challenge we face.Read

Going green will benefit the region Jul 11 2011

FURTHER investment in improving and increasing the world-leading facilities at NaREC in Blyth are clearly welcome, the North East has the potential to achieve status as a European or even global centre of excellence in greening our economy.Read

Solid growth expected next quarter Jul 11 2011

THE Q2 reporting season formally kicked off in the US recently. Despite the economic "soft patch", analysts are expecting another solid quarter of revenue and earnings growth - plausibly, in our view.Read

Time for UK to follow the French lead Jul 08 2011

AS with many people in this country, I have somewhat mixed feelings about the French. Our nearest neighbours were our enemies for the best part of the last millennium, although, throughout the last century, we were allies against a common foe.Read

Oil release shows a positive approach Jul 07 2011

SOME readers may be wondering about the impact of geopolitical events, and international policy developments, on oil prices and market sentiment.Read

Youngsters deserve our support Jul 06 2011

LAST week I joined the former cabinet minister David Miliband to meet a group of businesses in his South Shields constituency to discuss apprenticeships and youth employment.Read

The critical impact of bank reform Jul 05 2011

THE North East may feel a long way from the London centre of financial services but banking reform will have critical impact on most business.Read

Generous pay is just a load of spin Jul 04 2011

THERE’S always a certain amount of spin in any media engagement in any campaign.Read

Funds still available for a limited time Jul 04 2011

SUCCESSFUL businesses always have one eye on emerging trends – being up-to-date with new ideas and technologies certainly make it easier to keep ahead of the game.Read

There are many ways to ease the financial pain Jul 02 2011

As more big name store chains disappear from our high streets it seems the economy is showing little sign of revival. But ALOK DHANDA explains why we should be thinking positivelyRead

Time to go back to future Jul 01 2011

JULY is the month of graduations at our universities. We are cultivating some extraordinarily innovative, creative individuals across all sectors.Read

Mid-cap growth matters Jun 30 2011

Mid-cap businesses in the past decade have shown particular growth hot spots in the North East and they need greater backing, says SARAH GREENRead

Opt for stocks with a high yield to sidestep volatility in the market Jun 29 2011

SOME readers may be wondering about income stocks in these volatile market times. There are a number of risks dotting the investment landscape, ranging from the ongoing Euro area sovereign debt crisis, to concern over a political stalemate in the US on raising the debt ceiling, to resurfacing worries about a slowdown in global growth, or geopolitical tensions and commodity price volatility.Read

Our strength depends on partnerships Jun 29 2011

TODAY marks the first full day in my role as president of the voice for North East business, the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC). I am delighted and honoured to have been elected.Read

Equities outperform government bonds Jun 27 2011

WE believe income stocks are likely to continue to be popular with investors, particularly while market volatility remains high and the economic outlook clouded. The current appeal of higher yielding equities is easy to understand.Read