Finance

SME new loan approval rate down year-on-year in Q2
The latest SME Finance Monitor shows 34% of small businesses were declined new loans from their banks in Q2 this year compared to 28% in 2011.

'Mis-sold' IRSAs: Bully Banks takes on high-street lenders
A campaign group of SME business owners harmed by mis-sold IRSAs, Bully Banks, raises questions over the practice's effect on print. But what's next?

Print broker 2 Print 4 U in row over non-payment declares bankruptcy
The Gloucestershire-based reseller, which is accused of failing to pay unpaid invoices owed to a Durham print firm despite a County Court Judgement (CCJ) ordering the repayments, has been declared...

Chancellor hints at government-backed bank to help small businesses
The government is considering the creation of a 'small business bank' to improve access to funding for companies that want to expand, George Osborne has said.

Macfarlane Group posts 65% profit increase but turnover flat
The UK packaging group posted pre-tax profits of 1.5m in the six months to June 2012 compared to the same time last year but turnover was level at 68m.

New paperless receipt technology, EReceipts, targets SMEs
A new cloud-based system that allows businesses to receive receipts online and export data to their accounting software will benefit small businesses, claims developer.

Paperlinx blames European closures for A$266m statutory loss
The loss posted in the paper merchant's 2011/2012 financial report was almost double the anticipated amount of A$171m predicted by the Paperlinx board prior to the publication of its annual review in...

Kodak to sell personalised and document imaging businesses
Kodak has announced that it will focus on commercial, packaging and functional printing activities as part of its 'successful emergence from Chapter 11 reorganisation'.

Xeikon blames 'Drupa effect' for 10m drop in first half revenues
Xeikon has cited the 'Drupa effect' for a 1.1m (874,000) year-on-year decline in net profit and a 1.9m fall in pre-tax profit during the six months to June 2012.

Global press marketing budgets continue steady decline
Printed marketing spend declined globally again in August while digital budget allocations recorded rapid growth, new figures reveal.