Virgin Money edges closer to IPO after 356pc increase in underlying profit September 12, 2014 Virgin Money has reported a 356 per cent increase in underlying profit before tax to £59.7m in a half-year trading update released this morning. The company also confirmed that Glen Moreno would take over as chairman of the company from mid-2015. IPO talk Profit before tax was down by 97 per cent, [...]
Boohoo share price soars after reporting accelerating sales growth September 12, 2014 Boohoo's share price soared six per cent this morning after revealing revenues will be up nearly a third for its first half. The etailer, which went public in March, is expecting revenues to rise 31 per cent to £67m for the six months to August 31, it said in a trading update this morning, [...]
Russia’s counter-sanctions: Used cars and clothes September 12, 2014 The new EU sanctions to be levelled at Russia from this morning will be harsh. They will further restrict Russian oil firms such as Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom from borrowing or raising capital on the EU markets. This is a big deal for the Russian companies, with Rosneft already having gone cap in hand to the [...]
Russia sanctions: Private flights to Nice down 5pc as jets grounded September 12, 2014 Western sanctions are grounding private jets and disrupting the holiday plans of wealthy Russians, according to Bloomberg. The measures are aimed at restricting travel for leading Russian business people and the article quotes Umberto Vallino, head of business aviation development for Nice, Cannes and St. Tropez airports, as confirming a first drop in private air traffic [...]
Scottish independence referendum: IMF warns Yes vote could hit financial markets September 12, 2014 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has weighed into the debate on Scottish independence warning there could be significant market uncertainty if Scots vote to leave the union. IMF spokesman William Murray said: The main immediate effect is likely to be uncertainty over the transition to potentially new and different monetary, financial and fiscal frameworks in [...]
Oscar Pistorius awaits sentence after being found guilty of culpable homicide September 12, 2014 Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of the culpable homicide of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The verdict follows after the former Olympian and Paralympian was found not guilty murder and premeditated murder by a South African judge yesterday. Judge Thokozile Maispa said Pistorius had acted negligently on the night of the victim's death [...]
Scottish independence: Former Sainsbury’s boss warns of higher prices if there’s a Yes vote September 12, 2014 In a fresh blow for the pro-independence campaign, the former CEO of Sainsbury's Justin King has warned Scots they will pay higher prices in the shops if they vote to abandon the union of 18 September. Speaking to the BBC's Robert Peston, King said: It is more expensive to do business in Scotland today. Business [...]
JD Wetherspoon share price up as boss claims VAT “biggest danger to pubs” September 12, 2014 JD Wetherspoon has reported record sales and profit in its full-year results, yet founder and chairman Tim Martin has described the government's VAT on pubs as a danger to the industry. Shares in the company have risen 1.31 per cent in early morning trading. Profit before tax and after exceptional items was up [...]
Most bank branches could close over the next 10 to 20 years September 11, 2014 Most bank branches could close over the next 10 to 20 years, shaking up the whole landscape of British banking – and the high street – industry analysts predicted yesterday. In a decade, a bank could serve the whole UK with just 500 branches, Deutsche Bank analysts forecast. Right now Lloyds Banking Group has more [...]