Gosling's Grouse: Polls tell us nothing

GOSLING'S GROUSE

Fund managers love polls because they reckon they tell you something about the real economy. Yet almost every piece of research from a financial services company does the complete opposite.

The Easter period is what us journos call ‘slow news’ time, so more companies come out with their infernal self-serving surveys. They either state the obvious, tell you absolutely nothing, or are a way of promoting a product or service. My current favourites range from the Bank of Cyprus, through to a loans company, and Santander. According to the Bank of Cyprus, UK owner-managed businesses are sceptical or unaware of the benefits of the government’s new Employment Allowance, which launched on 6 April. Has that piece of ‘news’ changed your life? No, mine neither. Loan company...