Private sector startups can propel our NHS to a digital healthcare revolution May 8, 2018 If the tone of constant media coverage is anything to go by, the NHS is one of our country’s biggest obsessions. And as the health service approaches its seventieth birthday, it’s time for a reboot: a digital revolution is in order Repositioning Britain as a global leader in healthcare won’t happen overnight, and, of course, [...]
Runners and riders: Who will replace Mark Carney as Bank of England governor? May 8, 2018 The Bank of England will this week reveal its latest monetary policy decision, with investors having performed an abrupt u-turn on their bets it will raise rates. Investor bets indicate a probability of only seven per cent for a May hike, compared to an implied probability of more than 71 per cent at the end [...]
Warren Buffett and Bill Gates slam bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for being non-productive investments May 8, 2018 American billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have been critical of cryptocurrencies with Buffett saying on Monday that bitcoin was non-productive and ultimately depended on its mystique. Buffett, who is CEO of the American company Berkshire Hathaway, said that bitcoin investors depended on people wanting to pay more for the currency fuelled by the mystique [...]
Millennials should receive £10,000 from the government to tackle generation gap says commission May 8, 2018 The government should introduce a £10,000 “citizen’s inheritance” for all 25-year-olds as part of a bid to boost millennials’ prospects, according to a commission bringing together top business groups and trade union bosses. The Intergenerational Commission will also propose a new £2.3bn National Health Service levy on pensioners’ earnings, a progressive property tax to replace [...]
Oil gushes to four-year high as UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson calls on US President Donald Trump to re-certify Iran nuclear deal May 8, 2018 Foreign secretary Boris Johnson pleaded with Donald Trump not to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal on Monday as the deadline for re-certifying the agreement closes in. Fears that Trump will refuse to extend US sanctions relief for Iran have pushed up oil prices, with futures surging to a four-year high in yesterday’s trading. [...]
CYBG makes takeover approach for challenger bank Virgin Money | City A.M. May 7, 2018 The owner of Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank CYBG has swooped in with a preliminary approach for a full-share takeover of Virgin Money, valuing the challenger at £1.6bn. CYBG said that the merger, if it goes through, would create a “genuine alternative” to the UK’s biggest banks. Both parties confirmed the news on Monday night. The [...]
Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley keeps faith in the UK high street May 7, 2018 Who would bet on Britain’s beleaguered retail sector these days? Mike Ashley of course. The Sports Direct boss has used his company to build a near-30 per cent stake in department store Debenhams, alongside the 11 per cent chunk of House of Fraser it has owned since 2014, prompting rumours that he wants to combine [...]
Walmart takes on Amazon in battle for Indian Flipkart with $15bn bid May 7, 2018 Walmart is set to take on Amazon to buy a stake in India’s biggest online retailer Flipkart, in a deal worth $15bn (£11.06bn). Reports today say that the American retailer will buy three-quarters of Flipkart’s shares at a valuation of just under $20bn. Sources close to the deal told the Financial Times that Walmart boss [...]
London’s iconic Burlington Arcade in Mayfair sold to billionaire brothers Simon and David Reuben for £300m May 7, 2018 Billionaire brothers Simon and David Reuben have bought the iconic Burlington Arcade for £300m from New York property group Thor Equities and European private equity firm Meyer Bergman. The Mayfair arcade was bought by Thor Equities and Meyer Bergman for £104m back in 2010. Read more: Mayfair landlords are no longer mostly aristocrats in rental [...]
Warren Buffett praise for Apple sends shares through the roof for second time in four days May 7, 2018 Apple’s share price has once again hit record heights after billionaire Warren Buffett repeated his strong support for the tech company. For the first time, shares went past the $185 mark today, opening at $185.18 before climbing to $186.90 later in the day. The rise came on the back of investing heavyweight Buffett telling CNBC [...]