Oliver Holbourn, the head of UKFI which manages the government’s stake in RBS, is set to join the bank as head of strategy May 5, 2018 Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is set to get a new head of strategy, as it recruits the man who has spend the last several years managing the government’s stake in the bank. Oliver Holbourn, who was formerly chief executive of UK Financial Investments (UKFI), is in talks with RBS about taking the senior role, [...]
Nasa has just launched its latest spacecraft to Mars, Insight, to measure ‘Marsquakes’ May 5, 2018 Nasa today launched a rocket headed to Mars with the Insight probe on board, in a mission to measure quakes on the red planet. The US space agency worked through the Californian fog at the Vandenberg Air Force Base to get the Atlas V rocket, which is carrying Nasa’s Insight probe, into the air at [...]
Apple ended the week at a record high after Warren Buffett bought 75m shares in the first quarter May 5, 2018 US technology company Apple ended the business week with its share price at a record high yesterday, after business billionaire Warren Buffet revealed he had upped his stake in the company. Buffett revealed he had bought 75m shares in Apple during the first quarter through his Berkshire Hathaway firm, which drove the share price up [...]
Trump says unnamed London hospital is a “war zone” of knife crime with “blood all over the floors” at NRA convention May 5, 2018 US President Donald Trump has compared an unspecified London hospital to a knife crime “war zone”, as he defended gun laws in America. Trump claimed that he had read about “blood all over the floors” of this hospital, speaking at the National Rifle Association (NRA)’s convention in Dallas yesterday. He claimed that US gun rights [...]
FTSE roundup: Pearson pushes the blue chip index up as sterling shows signs of weakness May 4, 2018 The FTSE 100 index ended this week up 0.86 per cent on last Friday’s close, though it lost some of the gains made at Wednesday’s peak. Recovering publisher Pearson seemed to close the chapter on its all-too-regular profit warnings, saying at had seen a “good start” to the year. It led the blue chip index, [...]
Who is James Brokenshire, the new MP in charge of housing? May 4, 2018 As Al Pacino said in The Godfather: Part III, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” On Monday morning James Brokenshire would have been forgiven for having this quote on his mind, as he took a call from Theresa May asking him to become the new Secretary of State for [...]
Pearson (PSON) share price rises as it posts a “good start” to the year May 4, 2018 London-listed publisher Pearson posted a one per cent rise in first-quarter revenues today, in a “good start” to 2018. Total underlying revenues rose one per cent, as sales in North America rose three per cent and turnover in core markets, which include the UK, Australia and Italy, grew six per cent, offsetting a 12 per [...]
FCA says UK’s 150,000 ‘mortgage prisoners’ need help switching to better deals May 4, 2018 The UK’s financial watchdog has said it wants to help around 150,000 “mortgage prisoners” who are trapped in their current borrowing find a better deal. Releasing its interim report into the mortgage market this morning, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said that there were a number of ways in which the industry could work better [...]
Will UK interest rates rise in May? May 4, 2018 | City Talk Rate rises are important to many in the UK, particularly those whose wealth is tied to the value of their homes and the mortgage debt they pay on them. A rate rise could have a substantial impact on both, potentially driving down the value of the home while increasing mortgage costs. It can also have [...]
Local elections 2018 results live: Conservatives fend off Labour in London but Jeremy Corbyn makes gains elsewhere as Ukip collapses May 4, 2018 The Conservatives have maintained their control of Wandsworth, Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea councils, three of the main battle grounds in the local elections, marking a significant defeat for Labour. The Tories have also won control of Barnet, which had no overall control previously. Hillingdon, another council that had been in Labour’s sights, stayed blue. Jeremy [...]