Comment
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UK companies rush to hedge currency exposure as 'Brexit' risk grows
UK companies rushed to hedge their currency exposure today, pushing up the cost of protection against sharp price swings to its highest in over four years, as concern grew that Britain will vote to leave the European Union. Those campaigning to...
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Trading at an early age
When it comes down to the technicalities as long as you have a guardian’s consent or are of legal age, you are eligible to buy and trade stocks and shares at a stock exchange of your choosing. Now granted not everyone would be interested in doing...
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Consumer is king of the road?
We all realise that the car industry in Malta has changed but have we really understood to what extent? When the registration tax changed in 2009, and the sterling exchange rate was in our favour, people started looking at the prices of...
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Impact of expatriate labour
Various figures are being bandied about concerning the number of expatriates living and working in Malta, but little effort is being made to determine the effect of this phenomenon. In a small country like Malta, the negative impact can be high,...
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Who would buy Banif Bank?
The sale of 72 per cent of Banif Bank as part of the conditions for the Portuguese bailout of its parent company could not have come at a worse time for the Maltese economy. The country needs a strong and more competitive banking sector, and the...
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Social investment: old wine in new bottles?
The European social model played a key role in shaping European societies and preventing poverty in the post-war years. In some countries, though, it may have exacerbated the economic crisis caused by labour market rigidities, while in others, its...
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Should business model play role in financial reporting?
Whether or not the business model should play a role in financial reporting has been a controversial topic for some time, with many commentators arguing that referring to the business model would enhance relevance, while others oppose the idea...
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High taxes for family businesses
The tax burden for Maltese family businesses is in the top three when compared to 23 countries tracked in the European Family Business Tax Monitor for 2014. Tax treatment varies significantly across Europe with the different levels of complexity...
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‘You are not going to the office looking like that...’
Inspired by a piece I read recently in an English broadsheet, I decided to take a look at the subject of office wear and appearance – and the conventions thereof. I began by analysing my own admittedly limited experience. My very first brush with...
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A ‘logistical’ step forward
Changes are finally being made to the Business Promotion Act which will pave the way for logistics as a sector... and not a moment too late. Transportation and advanced logistics were one of the seven sectors identified by the previous government...
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Investment the key to it all
Overall, the Maltese economy is doing well. That was so under the previous administration. That which succeeded it, the Labour government, continued with the same theme. We now have fresh confirmation from the annual specific report of the...
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Our vision for Europe
Europe in 2014 portrays different meanings. It means a large single market with a stimulating competitive environment, both capable of generating prosperity and technological innovation. It means a social model founded on individual rights, which...
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Is single market a reality?
Sometimes, one overlooked factor can turn a whole argument on its head. The Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has been clamouring on behalf of its members for more supervision of merchandise being brought into Malta on the catamaran...
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Taking partisan baggage to the EP
Following the debate leading up to the voting that will take place on Saturday, one may easily feel that it is part of the run-up to a general election, rather than about membership of the European Parliament. Malta has to elect six members to do...
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EU Consumer Rights Directive: Do you know what it means for your business?
The new EU Consumer Rights Directive aims to simplify consumer rights to bring the disparate regulations in various EU countries into line so that consumers will have the same rights across all member states – and also to strengthen and clarify...
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Improving the mental health of citizens
Nowadays mental health issues have been proclaimed as one of the top threats for modern businesses. One in four Europeans is affected by mental health problems each year. Many people experience it without even noticing it and the consequences can...
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The lifeboat of grandparents
The financial crisis has had a devastating effect on a generation of young people who unlike their parents fear that their future will be more uncertain than it used to be in the past. Finding a decent job, making a deposit to purchase a new house...
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Governor opens up to public
The House Economic and Financial Committee had a very important meeting earlier this week. The importance lay in the fact that the meeting was addressed by the governor of the Central Bank, Josef Bonnici, with interjections by Minister of Finance...
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Pension portability now approved
The European Parliament recently approved a directive on the improvement of the portability of supplementary pension rights, a proposal that has been held up on the agenda of the European Commission for eight years, due to disagreement between the...
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Are our banks taking our SMEs for a ride?
Out of the voluminous European Commission’s assessment report on the Maltese economy, released a few weeks ago, the only thing that has attracted attention locally is that the prevalence of “higher interest rates on loans could reflect a lack of...
