Formula 1 to replace discarded grid girls with new “grid kids” scheme February 5, 2018 “Grid kids” will replace Formula 1’s grid girls at this season’s Grands Prix, following F1 bosses’ decision to scrap the long-standing tradition of using female models before races. Children who compete in junior categories of motor racing in each Grand Prix-hosting nation will be given the opportunity to stand alongside the 20 drivers on the [...]
Mitie chief executive Phil Bentley: Contractors must bolster balance sheets to absorb Carillion-style “knocks” February 5, 2018 Britain’s beleaguered contracting sector must shore up their balance sheets to weather a Carillion-style storm, the boss of support services giant Mitie has said. Capita was the latest contractor to suffer at the hands of investors. Shares almost halved last week after it revealed an operational turnaround and warned on profits. And the likes of [...]
Bitcoin credit card ban: Virgin Money joins Lloyds Bank with a ban on cryptocurrency credit card purchases February 5, 2018 Challenger bank Virgin Money has banned the purchase of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin on its credit cards, joining the likes of Lloyds Banking Group and US investment banks. A spokesperson said: “Following a review of our policy we can confirm that customers will no longer be able to use their Virgin Money credit card to purchase [...]
Bitcoin’s price hits its lowest since November on a credit card ban and tightening reguations February 5, 2018 The price of bitcoin has slumped more than 10 per cent to a three-month low today as cryptocurrencies face attacks from all sides. At the time of writing, bitcoin was trading 11.54 per cent lower at $7,241.86, near its intra-day low. In the past month, the digital currency’s value has fallen by $10,000, wiping more [...]
It’s high time archaic cannabis prohibition went up in smoke February 5, 2018 Five years ago, Colorado and Washington became the first two states in the US to legalise cannabis. Alaska and Oregon followed, and at the beginning of this year, California and Nevada joined them. This month will see Maine start sales and Connecticut debate legalisation, while to the north, Canada will start selling on the same [...]
British pubs closing at rate of two a day since April business rates hike | City A.M. February 5, 2018 Two pubs a day have shut their doors since last April, according to new research. Some 616 pubs have been demolished or converted to other uses since the change in business rates came into force, real estate adviser Altus Group has said. But the overall rate of decline has slowed since the decade following the [...]
Immigration white paper delayed until ‘the time is right’, says minister February 5, 2018 The government has been attacked for shelving its white paper on immigration, just weeks after it put off plans for similar work on financial services. Home Office minister Caroline Nokes today gave no clarification on when a paper would be published, saying only that it would be made public "in the coming months, when the [...]
Neil Woodford sticks to his guns despite Capita being a “poor investment” February 5, 2018 Star fund manager Neil Woodford has thrown his weight behind embattled contracting giant Capita. Woodford, which owns an 11 per cent stake in Capita, took a big hit after shares crumbled almost 50 per cent last week. Last year his funds were hit as Provident Financial endured one of the biggest one-day sell-offs in FTSE [...]
Britain’s big banks decline to follow Lloyds lead on bitcoin credit card bans February 5, 2018 Lloyds Banking Group has banned customers from buying bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies using credit cards, but other big British banks say they currently have no plans to clamp down on the risky assets. A wave of lenders around the world have placed restrictions on customers using debt to buy digital currencies, including JP Morgan Chase, [...]
Capita shares jump as fund management giant alleges board “flouted one of the basic rules” February 5, 2018 Capita investors were delivered a dose of good news this morning, with shares rising around six per cent after last week's mammoth sell-off. The change in fortunes came as one of Britain's largest fund managers blasted Capita for "flouting basic corporate governance rules" and urged it to "not repeat the mistakes of the past". Shares [...]