Superman is BACK with the cinematic release of Man of Steel, and it got us to thinking about whether or not the Kryptonian comicbook hero would be a worthy addition to the Safe Collections team.
We know he'd be a bit unpredictable - always nipping off into the nearest phone booth or flying off to save the world - but given that he'd be saving our skins in the process, we're willing to make some allowances.
Read more: Why the Man of Steel Would Make a Super Debt Collector
SMEs in the north-east are stop-gapping their cash flow problems by turning to pawnbrokers, according to a report in local news publication The Journal.
With bank lending hard to come by and many other conventional forms of finance also suffering during the downturn, sole traders and SMEs are taking desperate measures to cover costs.
Read more: Cash-Strapped Newcastle SMEs Turn to Pawn (Brokers)
Overdue payments by British businesses have been improving steadily over the past two years, and are now settled two days faster than in 2011, according to analyst D&B.
Two years ago, the average late payment was made 17 days beyond agreed terms, a figure that has now improved to 15 days, but has as far to go again if it is to match 2006's average of just 13 days.
Remember our old friend the Supply Chain Finance Scheme? Well, in the past couple of weeks, it's been making headlines once again - this time thanks to Carillion, the facilities management and construction services company.
Read more: Carillion on 120-day payment terms and the Supply Chain Finance Scheme
