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Business rates were back in the limelight last week after 50 of the UK's biggest retailers, including Marks & Spencer and Tesco, called on the government to reform "the broken business rates system". Retailers demand a freeze of business rate rises altogether, stating that while the retail industry accounts for only 5% of the economy in the UK, it is required to pay 10% of all business taxes. [Extracted from the article]

Should last month (August)'s inflation rate be repeated in September, business rates will soar by more than £2bn next year without Government intervention, experts have claimed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relief measures for estate agencies hailed "a real boost": High street estate agents welcome confirmation they will not have to pay business rates in 2020-21. [Extracted from the article]

Senior industry figures have criticised chancellor Rishi Sunak for not going far enough in temporarily scrapping business rates for small retailers. Mike Flecknoe, a partner at Cushman & Wakefield, added: "It is disappointing there was no business rates support in this Budget for large business, even those occupying multiple lower-value properties.". [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The majority of Swiss companies believe the central bank's negative interest rates are doing more harm than good, according to a UBS Group AG study. The SNB is one of several central banks to have cut interest rates below zero in an bid to stimulate the economy. [Extracted from the article]

The article announces that WEKA AG has received a gold medal in an environmental and corporate responsibility audit from EcoVadis.

Labour has pledged to overhaul the UK's "broken" business rates regime if it comes to power and take a hard line on "exploitative" landlords. However, the MP for Oldham West and Royton issued a warning for landlords in the private rented sector as he backed the pledge made by shadow chancellor John McDonnell earlier this month that Labour would extend right to buy if it came to power. McMahon said Labour would look to increase local authority compulsory purchase powers if it felt property owners were "deliberately holding on to assets". [Extracted from the article]

It hasn't stimulated loan demand in ways banks hoped it might, and some CEOs fear future rate cuts might cause companies to hunker down. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two months ago, the Conservative leadership election was shining a light on issues that had been neglected for years. Any assumption that economic instability could overcompensate operators in any re-evaluation fails to acknowledge the structural changes in licensed premises, which has led to operators favouring smaller units or moving out of high-value rental areas entirely. [Extracted from the article]

The article informs that Ocean shipping freight rate increases on the transpacific trade lane seem to have stopped for the time being after a frantic couple of months. It mentions that the summer period saw ocean freight rates climb to extremely high levels in the run up to the Golden Week holiday in China as a result of capacity shortages since the end of the early October holiday and consequently factories re-opening, rates remained largely static.

The article discusses that Bira has welcomed the London Mayor's support for an extension to the business rates holiday.

Now investors have hit the reset button on municipal credit expectations and the corresponding return in demand has been quite strong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Great Britain government which has launched a call for evidence as it begins its long-awaited fundamental review of business rates.

The two Midwest firms combined to expand their fixed-income capabilities amid rising rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cash machines are no longer liable for additional business rates, the UK Supreme Court has ruled. The ruling means there will no longer be a separate business rates bill for ATMs hosted in c-stores and about £430m is due to be paid back. [Extracted from the article]

The article mentions Northern Ireland's providing of an initial 100-million-pound emergency rates package to help businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic as of May 1, 2020.

The article informs that Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced plans to remove business rates for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses this year, less than a week after unveiling a £12bn coronavirus stimulus in his first Budget. It mentions that the discount was originally targeted at businesses in England with a ratable value below £51,000, as large parts of the economy began to grind to a halt owing to the pandemic, Sunak updated the package to cover all businesses in the three sectors.

The article reports that Aggregate Industries (AI) in Great Britain has defended its decision to apply a rate increase only to its franchise hauliers after the move was criticised by an external haulage contractor.

The article reports on the support given by trade association UKHospitality to calls for action on business rates in Great Britain in response to a Commons report that found they were an unfair system that favored online retailers.

Plummeting rates in the US and overseas are pushing more investors into the market for esoteric ABS, particularly from franchise and whole business issuers, panelists said in a packed session this week at ABS East in Miami Beach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Growth of 2.1% is better than expected, but highly reliant on a surge in household consumption." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the claims of the Institute for Fiscal Studies that the plans for appeals in raising the level of business rates councils in England are complicated and confusing.

The new retail business rates reduction scheme could be thwarted by EU rules state aid rules, according to advisers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the maritime industry will decrease the size of the recognised High Risk Area (HRA) for Somali piracy risk off East Africa and into the Indian Ocean which will affect marine premium rates. Topics covered include how the new HRA advice would be disseminated between October and December 2015 in order to provide shipping companies and crews enough time to adjust.

The article reports on the call of the leaders of the business sectors in Great Britain including the British Retail Consurtium and the Federation of Small Businesses, through a letter to the British Chancellor, for the business fees and rates to be reviewed.

The article focuses on estimation of Working capital burn rate in management of agriculture finances by a company. Topics discussed include formula for calculation of working capital by subtracting current assets with current liabilities, division of the projected losses as a next step in calculation and consideration of working capital burn rate found to be less than one year under high risk.

The article announces the appointment of Andrew Hudson as head of the business rate review of the Great Britain Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The article reports on the concerns expressed by Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the Local Government Association that the move to value properties every three years rather than five could result in more business rate appeals. Topics include remarks from Jo Pitt, CIPFA's local government policy advisor, and reason the number of businesses putting in an appeal could drop according to David Phillips, associate director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The article reports on the plan of local government secretary Sajid Javid regarding the issue of overpayment, erroneously made to councils and the Greater London Authority in England, for the business rates retention pilot scheme in 2018.