Over the past six months UK small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have grown on average by six per cent despite the broader UK economy struggling, according to the latest SMB Index from HP.
HP’s survey of 1,000 SMBs, with between 1 and 50 employees shows that, compared to that of the previous six months, growth for UK SMBs has slowed slightly but optimism is still strong, with SMBs expecting to grow by up to 13 per cent over the next year. Optimism in the economy is also strong, with 66 per cent of SMBs optimistic about the year ahead. SMBs in Financial Services have grown the most (13 per cent), followed by Manufacturing (10 per cent). SMBs in Retail (4 per cent) and Professional Services (1 per cent) have seen the least growth. Nearly half of UK SMBs (48 per cent) are turning to social media to help grow their business and reach new audiences, with 56 per cent of sole traders recognising its value the most. However, although SMBs are finding social media beneficial for networking purposes (83 per cent), and as a mechanism for advertising (57 per cent), many SMBs are underestimating its true potential for business growth and lead generation.
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Today, Hotels.com®, the largest provider of lodging worldwide, released their biannual Hotel Price Index (HPITM ) illustrating an increase in average hotel room rates for the first time since the end of 2007. Despite the 2% increase, hotel room rates are still markedly lower than rates at the peak of the market. As the Hotels.com 2009 HPI predicted, 2010 continues to be another great year for great travel values.
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The relative strength of the global hotel sector can be seen as an indicator of a potential turnaround in the economic outlook with the average price of a room around the world rising 4% in 2011, according to the latest Hotels.com® Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®). The continuing strength in corporate travel, in particular, helped to push up demand and room rates, although prices were still generally lower than in 2005.
The HPI looks at prices that people actually paid for their hotel room around the world. Last year, prices fell 2% in Asia year-on-year but rose in all other areas: 8% in the Pacific, 5% in North America, 4% in Latin America, 3% in the Caribbean and 2% in Europe and the Middle East. The overall increase reflected a continuing trend of steady recovery after a 13% tumble in 2009.
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Today, hotels.com®, the leading provider of lodging worldwide, released its biannual Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®), revealing a 3 percent global price increase and a gradual recovery despite major natural catastrophes and world events affecting travel during the first half of the year. Room rates are still lower than their peak in mid-2007, indicating to travelers that good deals and value are within reach for consumers.
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Increasing numbers of investors are turning to VIX® volatility index options and futures to manage risk and capitalize on market volatility. VIX® options and futures are traded exclusively on the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and CBOE Futures Exchange (CFE).
Since its creation in 1993, the CBOE Volatility Index® (the VIX® index) has been the most widely-followed barometer of market volatility. By using real-time options prices on the S&P 500® Index to get a true snapshot into how the marketplace views expected volatility, the VIX® index is an incredibly valuable tool for traders.
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Today, hotels.com®, the leading provider of lodging worldwide, released its Hotel Price Index (HPI™), noting a theme of recovery in the travel industry as global hotel rates rose 2% in 2010. Despite the increase year-over-year, travel deals and value can still be found in America’s most popular cities as well as the new global up-and-coming destinations.
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For the first time in five years, travellers paid more on average for their hotel rooms during the first six months of 2012 in all parts of the world, according to the latest Hotels.com® Hotel Price Index TM (HPI®). The global 4% rise, compared to the same period the year before, demonstrated that the economic recovery in the hotel industry was well-established.
The Index stood at 108 for this period meaning that, despite the latest increase, hotel prices in general were still considerably lower than in the first half of 2007 when the HPI was at its peak of 119.
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Hotel prices have experienced pronounced volatility as a result of political turmoil and natural disasters in the first half of 2011, according to the latest Hotels.com® Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®).
The average price of a room around the world rose by just 3% in the first six months of the year but this masked some steep rises and falls in regions affected by the historic events.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/hotels/50554/
Hotels.com®, the expert in online hotel booking and home to more than 20,000 hotel destinations worldwide, released its biannual Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®), reporting on the most popular travel destinations and the average price paid by travelers while visiting those destinations.
The HPI is a regular survey of hotel prices in major city destinations across the world, based on hotels.com bookings. Prices reported are those actually paid by customers (rather than advertised rates) during the calendar year of 2011. On a global scale, hotel prices increased by 4 percent on average in 2011 over 2010, while average prices in North America increased 5 percent year-over-year, continuing the process of steady recovery from the lows of 2008. Entering the third consecutive year of moderate price rises for guests, the global average price is still lower than it was in 2005, such was the depth of the financial crash-inspired trough.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52873-hotels-com-price-index-five-percent-rise-in-2011-in-north-america
