Selling some of these holdings could work wonders: reduce debt, finance infrastructure, boost economic efficiency.
The costs are relatively low, and the new chancellor could view it as a desirable infrastructure boost for the economy.
His vows to ramp up spending on defence and infrastructure boosted stocks in the defence, construction and commodity sector.
The promises of energetic interventionism – house-building and a Keynsian infrastructure boost – recall a mix of Michael Heseltine and parts of Blairiness.
In 2000, the UK Government increased public investment in the nation's science infrastructure, boosted research in key areas and gave top scientists more pay.
Ed Balls, the shadow chancellor, recently said that if the entire infrastructure boost recommended by the International Monetary Fund was spent now, it would allow the building of around 400,000 homes across the country and support over 600,000 new jobs in construction.
Alexandra Jones, the chief executive of the thinktank Centre for Cities, said: "This deal is a great step forward for Sheffield, and will give local leaders more of the powers they need to improve transport infrastructure, boost skills and support more businesses and jobs, which will make a big difference to the lives of people all across the city region.
The mayor's new economic adviser, Gerard Lyons, has been working on the proposals, which Johnson said involved: building hundreds of thousands of homes; investing in transport infrastructure; boosting London's growth industries, increasing apprenticeships; low and stable tax rates; a "sensible visa" policy; building a new airport; and changing the language of the economic debate.
Strong sales of servers, data storage and network infrastructure boosted revenue results.
Fears for climate and social science research, hopes for infrastructure boost.
