US recession risk spikes amid trade war and consumer spending slowdown March 10, 2019 The risk of a recession in the US has shot up thanks in large part to weak consumer demand, a report has warned. The likelihood of a fall in GDP in two successive quarters spiked to 73 per cent from just 24 per cent in December, according to a report from economists at Swiss bank UBS. A [...]
One Savings Bank and Charter Court Financial Services Group confirm £1.6bn merger talks March 10, 2019 Challenger banks One Savings Bank and Charter Court Financial Services Group are in final talks over a potential £1.6bn merger, the firms have confirmed. The companies said they are in advanced discussions regarding an all-share combination, which would see One Savings Bank chief executive Andy Golding become the boss of the combined group. Read more: [...]
Ethiopian Airlines confirms there are ‘no survivors’ from crashed Boeing 737 plane March 10, 2019 Ethiopian Airlines has confirmed that one of its Boeing 737 planes has crashed, killing all passengers on board. Ethiopia's flag carrier said the plane, which was destined for Nairobi in Kenya, crashed shortly after take off in the capital of Addis Ababa on Sunday. All 149 passengers and eight crew members on board the ET302 flight [...]
Theresa May faces ‘inevitable’ defeat in parliament unless her deal changes, Brexiters warn March 10, 2019 Two leading Brexiters have warned Theresa May that she faces an "inevitable" defeat in the parliament unless she wins significant changes to the withdrawal agreement. Nigel Dodds, the Westminster leader of the DUP which props up Theresa May's minority government, and Tory MP Steve Baker also warned that a delay to UK's departure from the EU [...]
US firm Indigo Partners sets new terms for Icelandic airline Wow Air investment March 9, 2019 Indigo Partners has set new terms for its proposed investment in Icelandic airline Wow Air, which has faced months of financial difficulty and was forced to ask lenders for an extra month to negotiate with the US investment company two weeks ago. The firm had originally proposed to inject $75m over 10 years in return for a 49 [...]
Leading challenger banks in advanced talks about £1.6bn merger March 9, 2019 OneSavings Bank and Charter Court Financial Services Group are in advanced talks about a merger that would create a lender worth more than £1.6bn Discussions have been ongoing for a number of months between two of Britain's biggest challenger banks and an announcement could confirm a deal within the next fortnight, according to Sky News. Read [...]
Investors fear £236m given to London Capital & Finance is lost after firm collapses March 9, 2019 London Capital & Finance (LCF) has collapsed and thousands of people who collectively invested £236m into a high-risk bond scheme fear they may have lost everything, according to the BBC. The scheme was marketed as a "Fixed Rate ISA" and the company, now in administration, is under investigation for mis-selling products. Many of those who put [...]
Asda to stop selling single knives by end of April March 9, 2019 Asda has announced plans to remove single kitchen knives from sale in response to growing concerns over knife crime. The supermarket chain said the knives would be removed from all stores by the end of April following a rise in knife-related deaths across the UK and in London. So far this year at least 39 [...]
Holloway prison to be turned into 1,000 homes after £81.5m deal with housing association Peabody March 9, 2019 Holloway prison in north London has been sold to housing association Peabody in a £81.5m deal and will now have more than 1,000 homes built on the site. The former women's jail occupies a 10-acre site and previously held murderers Myra Hindley and Rose West. Read more: Countrywide losses deepen amid housing market slowdown Peabody [...]
Billions of pounds available by backing Theresa May’s deal, says Philip Hammond March 9, 2019 Chancellor of the exchequer Philip Hammond has said getting behind Theresa May's Brexit deal would free up billions of pounds in extra public spending or tax cuts. Hammond also dismissed the importance being placed on the Irish backstop, which could force the UK into an EU customs union in order to avoid a hard Irish border, claiming they are "not [...]