The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EUI) latest monthly Global Outlook Report has revised up US growth expectations after continued improvement in labour market data and fears a 'spring slowdown' had been exaggerated.

US employers created an average of 208,000 jobs a month between November and April, 50% more than in the previous six months, leading the EIU to forecast that  'US growth is set to accelerate in the second half of the year.'

Ahead of Lord Young’s "Growing Your Business" report, international broadcaster Stephen Cole calls on government to “get serious about business and trade internationally” at the Re:locate Awards

With the UK government struggling to revive a flat-lining economy, respected international broadcaster Stephen Cole offered an informed critique from a global perspective on how it could “increase the scale” of and “create strategy” to boost international trade at the Re:locate Awards in central London on Thursday.

The Re:locate Awards celebrate excellence in global mobility practices. It was therefore fitting that Stephen Cole, senior news anchor at Al Jazeera TV and chair of the Institute of Business and Diplomacy, not only congratulated the winners, but also used their examples to call for more government action and leadership “outside this room” and for it “get serious” about boosting UK trading relations.

The winners of the Re:locate Awards 2012/13, which celebrate talent from across the relocation spectrum, were announced and presented with their trophies at a special black-tie event held at the Institute of Directors, in London’s Pall Mall, on Thursday 9 May.

In what was also the best year yet for entries to the awards, which have become the ultimate recognition of excellence in all aspects of relocation, both in the UK and internationally, more than 200 guests from across the relocation spectrum – including HR professionals and suppliers – networked the night away as they awaited the announcement of the winners.

Property consultants and estate agent Knight Frank has introduced a new property price index to examine the impact of London's Crossrail rail link on residential property prices in central London.

The high-frequency, high-capacity £15bn public transport infrastructure investment will officially open in 2018 and connect east and west London much more effectively than at present. It will link 37 stations from Maidenhead in Berkshire to Shenfield in Essex in a 90-minute journey through central London’s key financial and commercial hubs.

According to the Knight Frank report the 2013 Crossrail Index already areas within a ten-minute walk of stations are outperforming the wider London residential property market.

"An analysis of price movements of houses within a 10 minute walk of the major entrances to each central Crossrail stations shows that values have risen by more than 30% since Crossrail was granted Royal Assent in 2008. Property values in these areas have not only outperformed average London prices, but also the price growth seen across all prime central London (PCL) areas. Indeed, the Crossrail Index outperformed the PCL Index by 8% between 2008 and 2012," says the report.

Crossrail is also proving to be playing a key role in the regeneration of areas like Custom House, Woolwich and, in Stratford's case, builds on the London 2012 legacy, increasing these areas' attractiveness to inward investment.

Around 200 million passengers are expected to travel on the 73-mile long route each year, which is set to increase rail capacity in the capital by a tenth. The link will, according to Crossrail, "not only provide London and the South East with a world-class, high capacity affordable railway, it will [also] ease congestion on London's public transport system, provide better access to the capital and also generate significant employment opportunities...encourage regeneration and social inclusion and provide access to thousands of job opportunities. Crossrail is a key part of London's plan for growth over the years ahead."

Given last week’s local election results, which saw Ukip take an increased share of the votes and seats, it is perhaps little surprise that the immigration bill featured strongly in the Queen's speech at the state opening of parliament, writes Ruth Holmes.

Should the new bill be passed, it will see some migrants’ access to the NHS limited and private sector landlords responsible for checking the immigration status of their tenants. Although the detail around how this will be achieved in practice is yet to be confirmed, both medics and landlords fear the spirit of the bill will see them take on a “border control” role.

Alongside the immigration bill, 16 other bills were announced, including the deregulation bill, the high-speed rail (preparation) bill and High Speed 2 hybrid bill. Plans for major reforms to the education system were also outlined.