As we usher in the New Year, it’s worth taking a moment to see how this year’s major business themes have played out. While smatterings of growth and dips in unemployment have brought relative stability to Europe and the US, analysts at Nomura foresee policy changes that may reshape global prosperity in the long-term.
Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Online PracticeDownload: Podcast MP3
Explore the impact of Big data on business in this Business English News lesson.
By now, odds are you’ve heard the term “Big Data”. The thousands upon thousands of giga, tera, and peta bytes that are collected everywhere around us has caused concern for some, and jobs and wealth for others.
Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Online PracticeDownload: Podcast MP3
The global financial spotlight is focused squarely on China with its economy and banking system beginning to show signs of weakness. Interest rates hit all-time highs, while the central bank stood by and watched, as Reuters reports.
The People’s Bank of China has engineered a tightening of cash in money markets after seeing interest rates spike to 25 percent or higher for some deals. This was done in order to try to rein in excessive credit growth, especially in the lightly-regulated “shadow banking” sector.
Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Online PracticeDownload: Podcast MP3
Learn Business English vocabulary and collocations for describing trends and technology in this Business English News lesson on the recent decline in PC sales.
It wasn’t long ago that many of us could count on a new computer every three years or so. With both hardware and software upgrades coming in leaps and bounds, consumers and businesses sought to replace obsolete machines for shiny new boxes. However, as Forbes explains, things have changed dramatically: “PC shipments are down 14% year-over-year despite the launch of Windows 8. While Microsoft and its fans might not want to admit it yet, Windows 8 is a flop. The failure to generate new sales is bad; the acceleration of the declining trend in PC shipments is downright awful.”
Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Online PracticeDownload: Podcast MP3
In this Business English News lesson, we look at trends in the workplace, particularly changing attitudes to telecommuting.
The question of “live to work or work to live” has been around for decades, with many employees trying to strike that perfect work-life balance. Employees around the world benefit from the use of modern technology to do their work in the comfort of their own homes.
Recently though, Yahoo’s CEO, Marissa Mayer, made some waves with her decision that all employees must work their 9 to 5s in the office.
Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Online PracticeDownload: Podcast MP3
