Apple’s big ecosystem play March 26, 2019 | City Talk Doubts and unanswered questions aplenty following last night’s glitzy event, but make no mistake this was another big step in the pivot towards making Apple more of a services business. You would call this an ecosystem play, with new services designed to strengthen the bonds between consumers and the brand. Services revenues have soared lately [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for TfL to take over from Network Rail as London’s railway manager March 26, 2019 Sadiq Khan has said Transport for London (TfL) should replace Network Rail as the UK's rail infrastructure manager to improve the reliability of services for London's commuters. The London mayor wants responsibility and funding for key rail assets such as tracks and stations to be transferred to the transport body so it is able to plug the communication gap [...]
European Parliament passes controversial EU Copyright Directive March 26, 2019 The European Parliament has voted for a controversial copyright directive that critics claim could harm the future of the internet. Read more: EU agrees draft copyright reform in blow to tech giants The Copyright Directive passed today with 348 MEP votes, compared to 278 voting against it. The law includes ill-received elements such as making [...]
Negative outlook from exporters fails to move German stocks March 26, 2019 German export expectations weakened considerably in March compared to February, dropping to their lowest figure since October 2012, according to one of the country’s leading think tanks. Export expectations among manufacturers in the automotive and metals industries have in particular weakened, and declines in exports are expected, survey results published by the Ifo Institute showed [...]
Shadow City minister ramps up pressure on Lloyd’s of London over sexual harassment claims March 26, 2019 The shadow City minister has ramped up pressure on Lloyd’s of London to eradicate its “institutionally sexist” culture after reports of sexual harassment at the 330-year-old insurance market. Labour’s John Reynolds has demanded answers from chief executive John Neal on how the company will respond to the allegations and permanently change it culture. Read more: [...]
Airbus shares soar after plane maker lands 300-aircraft order to China worth £25.7bn March 26, 2019 Airbus shares rose this morning on yesterday’s news that it signed a deal worth around €30bn (£25.7bn) to sell 300 planes to China. The plane maker was up 2.4 per cent this morning after announcing the sale of 290 of its A320 models and 10 A350 XWB aircraft to China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS). [...]
City watchdog says it could amend rules to rescue ‘mortgage prisoners’ March 26, 2019 City watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said today it could change its lending rules to help so-called mortgage prisoners switch to more affordable deals. Mortgage prisoners are homeowners, often paying expensive rates, who are unable to switch deals despite being up-to-date with their mortgage payments. The regulator is proposing to amend its responsible lending [...]
UK mortgage approvals fall as Brexit uncertainty bites March 26, 2019 Mortgage approvals in the UK have fallen year-on-year as homebuyers put off their decisions amid political uncertainty, new data has revealed. The number of mortgages approved by the main high street banks in February was 2.2 per cent lower than the same month in 2018, the finance and business services body UK Finance said today. [...]
DEBATE: The Mueller report has cleared Trump of collusion with Russia – is this the end of his legal worries? March 26, 2019 The Mueller report has cleared Trump of collusion with Russia – is this the end of his legal worries? YES, says Sarah Elliott, chair of Republicans Overseas UK After two years and over $25m of taxpayer funds, the big conspiracy, perpetuated by the Trump-deranged media, that the 45th President was elected because of Russian collusion has [...]
London weather warms up as spring banishes winter, says Met Office March 26, 2019 Londoners can shed a few layers this week as spring makes itself known through sunny days and above average temperatures before the mercury starts to fall over the weekend. Despite the chilly start today, the temperature is expected to climb to 14C in London, well above the average of 11C for the month. The rest [...]