Babcock blasts ‘false and malicious’ report by anonymous analyst November 12, 2018 Babcock has said it is trying to track down the author of an anonymous analyst’s note which questioned the company’s relationship with the Ministry of Defence. Shares in the FTSE 250 engineering services company have not recovered since dropping four per cent after the note was released last month. But now Babcock has hit back, saying [...]
Funeral provider Dignity sees share price slide as profits drop amid rising competition November 12, 2018 Funeral provider Dignity saw shares slide more than six per cent today after it reported a £10.8m drop in profits. The 14 per cent dip in profit to £68.6m in the year to the end of September, compared to £79.4m in the same period last year, comes as the group fought off competition from rivals. [...]
Big pharma: Takeda sets date for shareholder vote on $62bn Shire merger November 12, 2018 Takeda Pharmaceutical will ask shareholders to vote on buying biotechnology firm Shire for $62bn (£48bn) on 5 December, it revealed today. Takeda hopes to complete the purchase of the Dublin-based company on 8 January after holding the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) with shareholders and gaining approval from the European Commission. “The acquisition of Shire will [...]
Stobart and former boss Andrew Tinkler to begin courtroom battle this morning November 12, 2018 The bitter boardroom battle between Stobart and a former company boss will come to a head this morning as the trial into the dismissal of Andrew Tinkler gets under way. The Southend Airport owner claims Tinkler led an unlawful conspiracy against the company with an unsuccessful attempt to topple chairman Iain Ferguson in July. Tinkler [...]
The Restaurant Group prepares to raise £315m for Wagamama deal despite criticism November 12, 2018 The Restaurant Group (TRG) pushed ahead with a rights issue to raise £315m to finance its acquisition of Wagamama today, despite concerns from analysts and investors. The rights issue to raise cash for the takeover will be underwritten by JP Morgan Securities, TRG said this morning, in a deal valuing the chain at £559m. “This a transformative deal [...]
How London’s high streets can weather the brewing retail storm November 12, 2018 London rightly bears the distinction of being one of the world’s most attractive places to live and work. But with that label comes risks as well as opportunities – and often, trends that we see across the country play out far more dramatically when it comes to our capital. Take our latest research into the [...]
Embracing digital technology will help the City to shape the future of the UK November 12, 2018 As the 691st lord mayor of the City of London, I follow a long continuum dating back to 1189, before the Magna Carta. My focus over the next 12 months will be on how the City can help shape the UK’s future. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, British innovations such as railways, cotton mills and [...]
DEBATE: Bitcoin volatility has been falling recently – is this a good sign for the crypto craze? November 12, 2018 Bitcoin volatility has been falling recently – is this a good sign for the crypto craze? George Zarya, chief executive at BeQuant, says YES. The cooling of the crypto market is a hugely positive sign and not at all unsurprising. It is common to see immature markets and asset classes experience high levels of volatility at [...]
The Conservatives must not be afraid to stand up for free markets November 12, 2018 Today’s younger voters were born after the Berlin Wall had fallen and the battle of ideas over economics and the role of the state had been won for a generation. Since then, the world has changed. The Labour party has fallen under the control of people who do not believe in markets, free enterprise, or business. [...]
Parliament will vote down May’s Brexit deal, predicts former minister November 12, 2018 Parliament will reject the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal in order to trigger a fresh referendum, a former minister said today. Justine Greening said there was no chance that May’s proposed Brexit deal could win a parliamentary vote, calling it the “worst of all worlds”. “It leaves us with less influence, less controls over the rules [...]