2008 has been a record year for temporary ice rinks in Europe135 of the world’s largest container ships are lying idle
Harvard’s endowment lost $8 billion in 4 months
Working in the public sector has become much more appealing to this years graduates
The price of carbon permits in Europe’s emissions trading system has collapsed
On 11 December airline passengers were the first to find they got less than €200 for £200 if they changed their currency at Liverpool or Birmingham airport
The world’s largest manufacturer of solar cells is planning a production shutdown over Christmas to clear stocks. The collapse in the oil price ahs undermined the rationale of renewable energy schemes
Christian Science Monitor will print only once a week to cut costs
In November, customers opened more new savings accounts with Tesco than they did in the whole of 2007. The supermarket group bought out its partner, Royal bank of Scotland earlier this year
52% of UK finance professionals come from overseas. One third of them do not expect to be here next year
The Financial Services Authority is increasing its workforce by 10%
Steve Forbes believes that we will not find the bottom of the market until mark-to-market accounting is abolished
China’s November electricity production was 10% down on a year ago
Divorce petitions from couples with more than £7 million in assets have spiralled
Selfridge’s sales of suspender belts & stockings are almost double what they were a year ago
The Italian government is helping a struggling industry by buying 200,000 wheels of parmesan & donating them to the poor
