DEBATE: Should GCSEs be scrapped and replaced with a broader, more holistic curriculum? February 12, 2019 Should GCSEs be scrapped and replaced with a broader, more holistic curriculum? Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow and chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee, says YES. Skills shortages cost our economy £6.3bn annually, while hundreds of thousands of young people are faced with the despair of unemployment and unfulfilled job-seeking. Brexit and the rise [...]
Against the tide of shareholder activism February 12, 2019 You cannot blame boardrooms today for being preoccupied, with everything from Brexit contingency planning to the prospect of a Corbyn government. Yet there is another, more pressing need for every UK listed business to be preparing for: activist investors. Shareholder activism, whereby an investor leverages their stake to put pressure on the management of a [...]
How data will power the cities of tomorrow February 12, 2019 By 2050, it is estimated that 68 per cent of the global population will live in cities – an influx of over 2.5bn. With that many people living in urban areas, it is clear that making cities work better is key to creating a safer, more sustainable world. Local issues are now global issues, and cities [...]
Interserve boss Dougie Sutherland steps down amid shareholder revolt February 12, 2019 Interserve director Dougie Sutherland is stepping down from the firm's board with immediate effect amid a bitter dispute over a proposed rescue plan for the outsourcing giant. Sutherland, who was appointed to the board in 2011, was a key player in the firm’s ‘fit for growth’ transformation plan and led Interserve’s developments division. Read more: [...]
Tui losses widen as summer heatwave and falling pound take their toll February 12, 2019 Blue-chip travel giant Tui today posted widening losses for the final three months of last year, as a summer heatwave and a fall in the value of the pound dented demand for the firm’s crucial Northern Europe market. The figures The UK-based holiday operator’s underlying losses in the quarter to 31 December were €83.6m, plunging from €36.7m [...]
Plus500 shares plunge 30 per cent as broker warns of 2019 earnings hit February 12, 2019 Plus500's share price collapsed in early trading despite almost doubling profits in 2018, as it issued a major profit warning for the current year. The online broker's stock fell by as much as 36 per cent in early trading, from 1,635p at yesterday's close to 1,053p this morning, as it warned that stricter regulations will [...]
Thyssenkrupp profits tumble as steel division troubles and macro woes take their toll February 12, 2019 Thyssenkrupp today posted a sharp drop in first quarter profits as global economic woes and trade conflicts drove up costs. The German conglomerate said income before tax fell 33 per cent to €215m (£189m) in the three months to the end of December. Read more: Thyssenkrupp predicts higher profits after tough financial year Net sales [...]
The stakes are high in the global 5G race February 12, 2019 High up in the Swiss Alps in Davos last month, it was clear that most of the town was pessimistic because of the outlook on trade and the global economy. But what should concern investors more is the breaking up of the global web through the arrival of what’s known as the “splinternet”. It’s increasingly likely [...]
Debenhams secures £40m cash lifeline in fight for survival February 12, 2019 Embattled department store chain Debenhams saw its shares jump 35 per cent this morning after it secured a £40m cash injection, as it fights to keep afloat amid crunch debt talks with lenders. The retailer, which has issued three profit warnings in the last 12 months, said that the agreed £40m loan will "act as a bridge to facilitate a [...]
Dwindling cash points spark joint campaign to protect access to physical money February 12, 2019 Small businesses and consumers have teamed up to rail against dwindling access to physical cash, in the wake of a glut of ATM closures last year. Figures from consumer magazine Which show more than 2,500 cash points were lost in the second half of 2018, while 3,000 bank branches have shut since 2015. Read more: [...]