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A perfect balance of affordability and low crime rates surely has to be high up on the list of priorities for prospective homebuyers. And, it’s safe to assume that some areas will fare better than others with regards to this. But where are they? The latest research from OkayLah.co.uk, looks at the total crime per capita (crime committed per 100 people) across each council region of the nation, comparing this to the average house price and scoring each area with an index score based on the mix of the two. England The research shows that North Kesteven is the best buy with an average house price of £208,230 and just five crimes committed for everyone 100 people living there scoring 1041. Broadland, Eden, Staffordshire and Bolsover also ranked highly for property affordability and low crime rates. Copeland, Hillingdon, Richmondshire, North East Derbyshire and Forest of Dean also make the top 10 with Hillingdon the only London area to do so. Despite a fairly low level...

Philip Lane, the governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, has received support from the finance ministers of the eurozone to become the new chief economist of the European Central Bank. Lane was the only candidate that was proposed for the job and his position will be confirmed by the leaders of the European Union at a meeting that is scheduled to be held next month. Lane is 49 years old. He will be taking the place of Peter Praet, a former director of the Belgian National Bank whose term ends on the 31st of May. He will serve a non-renewable eight-year term from the 1st of June. In a statement that was released by the Eurogroup this afternoon, it disclosed: “The Eurogroup today gave its support to the candidacy of Philip Lane to become a new member of the European Central Bank’s executive board.” Lane has served as the governor of the Central Bank of Ireland since November 2015. He was recognised for overseeing solid growth in the economy of Ireland after an EU bailo...

Viktor Orbán could face renewed calls for his expulsion from the European People’s party (EPP) at a gathering of the powerful centre-right bloc next month. The Hungarian prime minister and his Fidesz party will be on the agenda of the EPP political assembly on 20 March, an event intended to approve the group’s manifesto before European parliament elections in May. Two EPP sources told the Guardian that Orbán and his Fidesz party would be up for discussion, even though no official disciplinary procedure has been launched. The Hungarian prime minister is facing a growing backlash from centre-right allies after his government launched an aggressive anti-EU poster campaign targeting the European commission leader, Jean-Claude Juncker, who is also in the EPP. And in a one-page letter sent to households in Hungary, Orbán said the EU “has not learned anything from the horrible terror attacks of the past years” and “wants to bring even more migrants to Europe”. But Orbán’...

A growing number of non-regional [GCC] organisations are turning to Islamic Finance, and in particular to sukuk instruments, to raise funds for their infrastructure and development projects, affirms a leading UAE-based investment banking expert. The comments from Zahid Aslam, Managing Director of Investment Banking at Dalma Capital Management Limited, come as the firm reports an almost one-third jump in enquiries regarding Sharia-compliant bond issuances from corporations outside of the GCC. The news follows S&P Global Ratings predicting in January the global issuance of Sharia-compliant foreign and local currency bonds is expected to reach as much as US$115 billion (Dh422.1bn) this year. “It is our experience that sukuk-based solutions are establishing themselves as an increasingly attractive alternative for the funding of infrastructure and development projects,” observes Mr. Aslam. “For example, we are currently working with clients on a variety of ‘off the beaten ...

​ Philip Lane, the governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, has received support from the finance ministers of the eurozone to become the new chief economist of the European Central Bank. Lane was the only candidate that was proposed for the job and his position will be confirmed by the leaders of the European Union at a meeting that is scheduled to be held next month. Lane is 49 years old. He will be taking the place of Peter Praet, a former director of the Belgian National Bank whose term ends on the 31st of May. He will serve a non-renewable eight-year term from the 1st of June. In a statement that was released by the Eurogroup this afternoon, it disclosed: “The Eurogroup today gave its support to the candidacy of Philip Lane to become a new member of the European Central Bank’s executive board.” Lane has served as the governor of the Central Bank of Ireland since November 2015. He was recognised for overseeing solid growth in the economy of Ireland after an EU bai...