Boris Johnson: Russia “isn’t fooling anybody” on Novichok claims March 19, 2018 Boris Johnson has accused Russia of attempting to “conceal the needle of truth in a haystack of lies”, adding: “They’re not fooling anyone”. The foreign secretary was speaking from Brussels, where he has travelled to in order to shore up support for the UK’s position over the attempted murder of Sergei and Yulia Skripal. Johnson [...]
Transition agreed: Business groups welcome “milestone” in Brexit talks March 19, 2018 Business groups have praised today’s “milestone” Brexit announcement that the UK and EU have struck a transition deal – but urged negotiators to get urgently stuck into the detail of the future trading relationship. Michel Barnier and David Davis today revealed that a deal had been struck ahead of Thursday’s European Council summit, where it [...]
Micro Focus, macro losses – £4.5bn wiped off tech giant’s market value… Here’s how City analysts reacted March 19, 2018 Shocked Micro Focus investors scurried for cover today as sales fell sharply and its chief executive stepped down. Britain’s biggest listed tech firm saw shares fall more than 55 per cent, wiping around £4.5bn from the firm’s market capitalisation. Micro Focus’s executive chairman, Kevin Loosemore, who last year netted pay of £24m, said operational issues [...]
Pound climbs as Michel Barnier confirms Brexit transition: UK will be able to negotiate trade deals in Single Market, Irish border “backstop” remains March 19, 2018 The UK and EU have agreed a “limited transition period” until 31 December 2020, Michel Barnier has confirmed as he welcomed a “decisive step forward” in Brexit talks. The UK will be able to negotiate and strike trade deals during the period, while also remaining a part of the Single Market and customs union, however [...]
Standard Chartered fined by Singaporean regulator for money laundering and terrorism financing breaches March 19, 2018 Standard Chartered has been fined by regulators in Singapore for breaking money laundering and terrorism financing rules. The bank has been fined a total of 6.4m Singaporean dollars (£3.5m) by regulator the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The breaches occurred when accounts were transferred from Standard Chartered’s Guernsey arm to its Singaporean business in late [...]
UK concerned by allegations Cambridge Analytica mined Facebook users’ data March 19, 2018 Theresa May’s spokesperson has said Britain is “very concerned” by allegations that Cambridge Analytica mined Facebook users’ data without their permission. “The allegations are clearly very concerning. It is essential that people can have confidence that their personal data will be protected and used in an appropriate way,” the spokesman told reporters. “So it is [...]
Barclays Bank shakes up board ahead of ringfencing changes March 19, 2018 Barclays has reshuffled its board ahead of the creation of a separate retail and small business bank, as required by the UK’s ringfencing legislation. The bank is transferring its UK retail and small business operations to a new bank, Barclays Bank UK. Barclays Bank PLC will continue to own the group’s corporate and investment bank, [...]
Shares in tech firm Micro Focus (MCRO) slump as it warns on faster revenue decline than expected and chief executive steps down March 19, 2018 Shares in UK tech firm Micro Focus slumped this morning after it warned that revenues had been falling faster than it had expected in January, and its chief executive was stepping down with immediate effect. Chris Hsu submitted his resignation “in order to spend more time with his family and pursue another opportunity”. Stephen Murdoch, [...]
Britain’s 5G auction starts tomorrow – and this is how it will work March 19, 2018 Mobile firms will today be putting the final touches to planned bids for tomorrow’s spectrum auction. Regulator Ofcom will tomorrow start the process of flogging packages, some of which will allow mobile providers to roll-out 5G plans in around a year’s time. Who is taking part? Despite a wide range of mobile providers in the [...]
Activist investor Edward Bramson’s Sherborne Investors takes five per cent stake in Barclays sending share price higher March 19, 2018 Shares in Barclays rose this morning after activist investor Edward Bramson’s firm Sherborne confirmed it had taken a five per cent stake in the bank. Barclays share price was up more than four per cent in morning trading on the news. Bramson has been an investor for a while, but his stake has now topped [...]