AI has not yet spurred a productivity boom, but just you wait January 30, 2019 Nobel laureate Bob Solow pronounced 30 years ago that “you can see the computer age everywhere but in the productivity statistics”. At the start of the 1980s, the world entered the digital age. Fax machines transformed communications. The introduction of personal computers made high-powered computing available to all. But it took time to work out [...]
Wizz Air profits tumble but airline clings to guidance as passenger numbers grow January 30, 2019 Wizz Air witnessed an 88 per cent drop in pre-tax profits at the end of 2018 but has insisted it’s on track to meet its annual guidance. The figures The budget airline suffered a drop in pre-tax profit to just €1.7m for the three months to the end of 2018, down from €14m over the [...]
Ophir accepts Medco’s £391m takeover offer after bidder ups price January 30, 2019 Ophir Energy has accepted a £391m takeover bid from Indonesian oil firm Medco Energi, just over two weeks after its initial offer was rejected. Board members were convinced after Medco upped its 48.5p a share bid to 55p. Read more: DNO crowned king in battle for Faroe as shareholders and board accept increased bid Ophir becomes [...]
Should we be worried about the rise of the Bank of Mum and Dad mortgage? January 30, 2019 In the years leading up to the financial crisis, it was relatively easy for wannabe homeowners to get loans for the full value of a property – otherwise known as a 100 per cent loan-to-value mortgage. Of course, we know the problems caused by these mammoth loans, and since then, affordability criteria have become stricter [...]
Audit watchdog unveils new code on stewardship January 30, 2019 Britain’s governance and audit watchdog has opened consultation on its new code for investor stewardship. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said the proposed new code “sets substantially higher expectations for investor stewardship policy and practice”. The consultation will run until 27 March. The FRC is under raised pressure to deliver changes this year, after the [...]
London house prices dip over 2018 January 30, 2019 London house prices dipped in 2018, with uncertainty looming large over the capital in spite of double-digit growth across many of the UK’s other major cities. Property prices in London tumbled 0.2 per cent last year, according to new data which underlines fears of a slowdown in activity across parts of the capital’s housing market [...]
The Beatles’ last message from Savile Row is being echoed by today’s bespoke tailors January 30, 2019 Exactly 50 years ago today the Beatles sang together for the final time. On the rooftop of the Apple offices at 3 Savile Row, they set up a surprise live concert that lasted 42 minutes before the police intervened. After one last rendition of “Get Back”, the band called it a day, bowing out of [...]
City Moves for 30 January – who’s switching jobs at Wesleyan, Horizon and Winckworth Sherwood? January 30, 2019 Who’s on the move today? Wesleyan Wesleyan, the specialist financial services provider – provides specialist financial advice and solutions to doctors, dentists, lawyers and teachers – has appointed Mario Mazzocchi as its new chief operating officer (COO). Mario previously spent 15 years with Lloyds Banking Group, most recently as COO for the Insurance and Wealth [...]
Barclays ‘big dog’ pushed for £25m special payment after Qatari cash mission January 30, 2019 A Barclays boss who helped secure a Qatari cash injection that saved the bank from the prospect of government bailout during the financial crisis was recommended for a £25m bonus to reward his efforts, a court heard yesterday. Roger Jenkins, nicknamed “Big Dog” by colleagues, told Barclays executive Rich Ricci he wanted a “special payment” [...]
Social media sites should have legal duty over child safety, says children’s commissioner January 30, 2019 Social media platforms must do more to protect children from harmful material on their platforms, the children’s commissioner has said. Anne Longfield today penned an open letter to social media giants urging them to take legal responsibility for the safety of children on their sites. Read more: Facebook tightens ad rules for EU political parties ahead [...]