Toys Rn't Us

Toys 'R' Us has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Canada as it attempts to restructure its debts.

Britain Leads The Employment Stats

UK on course to have the highest rate of employment in the western world. pic.twitter.com/MlXBkqoUpg

— James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) September 14, 2017

J.P. Morgan Compares Bitcoin To Tulip Bulbs

Bitcoin will eventually blow up, says JPM's Dimon at Barclays conference. "It's a fraud." It's "worse than tulip bulbs."

— Lisa Abramowicz (@lisaabramowicz1) September 12, 2017

We shall see!

British Investors Remain Optimistic

UK investors stay positive https://t.co/PmmBmIYYvw

— Fabrizio Goria (@FGoria) September 11, 2017

Massive Equifax Security Breach

As per the BBC about 143 million US customers of credit report giant Equifax may have had information compromised in a cyber security breach.

Equifax said cyber-criminals accessed data such as Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses during the incident.

Some UK and Canadian customers were also affected.

The firm's core consumer and commercial credit databases were not accessed.

Equifax said hackers accessed the information between mid-May and the end of July, when the company discovered the breach.

Malicious hackers won access to its systems by exploiting a "website application vulnerability", it said but provided no further details.

The hackers accessed credit card numbers for about 209,000 consumers, among other information.

Equifax said it had set up a website - www.equifaxsecurity2017.com - through which consumers can check if their data has been caught up in the breach. Many people trying to visit the site reported via social media that they had problems reaching it and that security software flagged it as potentially dangerous.

Unsurprisingly shares in Equifax took a hit.

#Equifax shares plunge after #databreach potentially impacting 143 million #Americans - https://t.co/WR95l5QsIr #equifaxhack #privacy

— Marc R Gagné MAPP 🌐 (@OttLegalRebels) September 8, 2017

Estonia To Launch Digital Estcoin

One of the most digitally advanced nations- #Estonia is planning to launch first #digital national #currency. Source @wef pic.twitter.com/6U9XUTXNuk

— Saurabh Kumar IRS (@SaurabhKumar1) September 4, 2017

An excellent idea, and well within keeping with Estonia's desire to be at the cutting edge of IT.

However, I do hope that the Estcoin is impervious to the inevitable attempts by Russia to hack it!

FCA PPI Campaign Deadline Advert

Without a doubt, this is the most ridiculous financial advert I have ever seen.

No wonder the FCA disabled the comments section!

US Launches $400BN Libor Case

US launches $400bn Libor case

Rate-rigging by British lenders ‘fuelled failure of American banks’ https://t.co/KAS3DhQQu1

— fiatcurrency (@fiatcurrency) August 17, 2017

This will run and run!

Unemployment Lowest Since 1975

As per the ONS:

"The unemployment rate (the proportion of those in work plus those unemployed, that were unemployed) was 4.4%, down from 4.9% for a year earlier and the lowest since 1975."

Additionally, the employment rate (the proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were in work) was 75.1%, the highest since comparable records began in 1971.

Wrt "zero hours" see this from James Cleverly:

And before the flood of "it's all zero hours contracts" tweets come in, it's worth having a quick look at this. pic.twitter.com/yNm26ZvfQW

— James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) August 16, 2017

Greed Of The Railway Franchises Exposed

Though CPI holds at 2.6%, retail price index rose to 3.6%. Rail fare rises linked to outdated RPI. Why?

— Andrew Neil (@afneil) August 15, 2017

Meaty High Protein Notes

Bank of England says has decided polymer banknotes will continue to have traces of animal products

— Simon Gompertz (@gompertz) August 10, 2017

British Gas Hikes Electricity Prices By 12.5%

British Gas will increase electricity prices by 12.5% from 15 September, its owner Centrica has said, in a move that will affect 3.1 million customers.

Gas prices are unchanged, but the average annual dual-fuel bill for a typical household on a standard tariff will rise by £76 to £1,120, up by 7.3%.

Centrica said the rise was a result of transmission and distribution costs and the costs of government policy.

Methinks that British gas will continue to lose customers!

UK Property Market Stable

65k mortgage approvals for house purchase in June, pretty much unchanged from May. Sign the UK housing market continues to tread water. pic.twitter.com/RgPyEpcCVK

— Rupert Seggins (@Rupert_Seggins) July 31, 2017

Happy 323rd Birthday To The Bank of England

It’s our 323rd birthday, we made a dancing cake to celebrate. #whynot pic.twitter.com/SxLzCQr4rD

— Bank of England (@bankofengland) July 27, 2017

UK Q2 Growth 0.3%

Growth in Q2 was 0.3%, significantly better than the Treasury's doom and gloom forecast borne out of Project fear!

GDP Would Need to Collapse 5% in Next 12 Months to Meet Osborne's Treasury Predictions: https://t.co/LJHB69DlHw pic.twitter.com/vaFYABQvPw

— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) July 26, 2017

• The growth in Quarter 2 2017 was driven by services, which grew by 0.5% compared with 0.1% growth in Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2017.
• The largest contributors to growth in services were retail trade, which improved after a fall in the first quarter, and film production and distribution.