Business comment, opinions on the business news

COLUMN: Neil Warwick - Time to make sure your house is in order Oct 23 2012

WITH Hallowe’en quickly followed by Guy Fawkes night and leaves rapidly vacating the trees, autumn is well and truly here. The clocks are also going back this week to bring in the darker nights so symptomatic of the coming w inter.Read

COLUMN: Sarah Green - We need to sustain economic growth in the region Oct 23 2012

LABOUR statistics released last week showed a welcome fall in unemployment but there is no room for complacency.Read

COLUMN: Kevin Rowan - Still much thinking to be done over energy Oct 22 2012

THE much-anticipated Energy Bill is a critical opportunity to solve a number of problems at once.Read

COLUMN: Richard Farr - Postponing rate revaluation unfair to North Oct 22 2012

THE Government’s announcement that it will seek legislation to postpone the 2015 Rating Revaluation in England and Wales until 2017 marks a blind spot in its vision.Read

COLUMN: Bill Midgley - Inflation only has one way to go Oct 19 2012

THERE appears to be a softening of the official line on the control of inflation of late.Read

COLUMN: Alistair Arkley - Follow Europe's footsteps Oct 18 2012

I DOUBT there are many issues which could unite an 85-year-old French entrepreneur and an Ulster Unionist politician, but that’s exactly what has happened on the issue of VAT and the hospitality industry.Read

COLUMN: Ross Smith - Challenge of party’s conference Oct 17 2012

IF you think the phrase “party conference” sounds like a contradiction in terms, then you’re mostly right.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Miller - Will eurozone muddle through crisis? Oct 17 2012

INVESTORS weighing up an investment in the eurozone are still faced with uncertainties surrounding Greece’s ongoing membership of the euro and the timing of Spain’s probable request for a bail-out.Read

COLUMN: Kevin Rowan - Government keeps digging Oct 17 2012

THE Government’s rather blasé response to the IMF (lack of) growth forecasts last week were conveniently obscured by the usual conference season nonsense about empowering homeowners to bash burglars.Read

COLUMN: Prof Bernie Callaghan - Top talent steps into limelight in the North East Oct 12 2012

WATCHING new talent emerge and succeed is the greatest motivator there is to local businesses, however well-established they are. Cultivating and keeping these entrepreneurs in the North East is key to our future economic health.Read

COLUMN: Dr Ray Lowry - Technology with power to stupefy Oct 11 2012

DON’T get me wrong (and this is primarily addressed to Microsoft lawyers), I have nothing against PowerPoint.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Hebden - It’s time to champion enterprise Oct 10 2012

IT is a curious situation indeed when, at a time the economy is crying out for new jobs and growth, a senior business leader should feel it is necessary to stand up at the Conservative Party conference and tell ministers to “stop knocking business”.Read

COLUMN: James Ramsbotham - Spreading a positive message of North East excellence Oct 10 2012

THE party conferences are all about delivering messages.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Miller - Looking at the risks of bonds Oct 10 2012

THE biggest potential source of peril for bonds are those historically low yields.Read

COLUMN: Sarah Green - Time to get moving Oct 09 2012

NEW economic infrastructure projects are an engine for business growth, yet our infrastructure survey revealed that 97% of companies see the planning system as a barrier to infrastructure delivery.Read

COLUMN: Kevin Rowan - A case for good of the public Oct 08 2012

ALL forms of transport are essentially a ‘public good’; whether it is public transport, which is clearly an essential public service, or private transport, which relies on publicly-owned roads.Read

COLUMN: Share Watch with John Dryden Oct 08 2012

MANUFACTURING remains central to the UK economy and pivotal to any UK economic recovery.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Miller - European stocks are worthy of attention Oct 03 2012

MOVES on major global equity markets remain highly correlated – they all tend to move up or down synchronously – but this doesn’t mean returns have been similar across the various market groups.Read

COLUMN: Chris Rigg - Still reasons to be positive Oct 03 2012

AS with many indicators at the moment, the latest North East Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey does not provide a definitive answer on where the economy is heading.Read

COLUMN: Andrew Hebden - Like him or loathe him, Ashley delivers Oct 03 2012

UNLESS he finally delivers some silverware to the St James’ Park (or whatever he chooses to call it) trophy cabinet, Mike Ashley’s never likely to win any popularity contests.Read