Ladbrokes and William Hill share price rise after Gambling Commission delivers “crack cocaine” fixed odds betting terminal reprieve March 19, 2018 Investors in Britain’s bookies were buoyed this morning after firms received better-than-expected news on fixed odds betting terminals. The Gambling Commission published eagerly-awaited advice on gaming machines. Non-slots fixed-odds terminals should have a single stake limit of £30. For slots machines, stakes should be capped at £2. Ladbrokes share price rose over five per cent [...]
Carillion finance chiefs investigated by top accounting regulator the Financial Reporting Council March 19, 2018 Britain’s top accounting regulator has launched a probe into the actions of two of Carillion’s former finance chiefs. In a widely expected move, Richard Adam and Zafar Khan are being investigated by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). Carillion’s 2014, 2015 and 2016 annual accounts are to be probed as well as its figures for the [...]
Pret a Manger to give away 300,000 coffees in London and the rest of the UK March 19, 2018 Pret a Manger may already be known for giving out the occasional free coffee to a stressed out commuter, but this week will see the chain hand over 300,000 tokens for free drinks. However, Pret is encouraging customers to pass the tokens on to someone else, in an effort to spread a little joy. “We [...]
City firms join forces to support string of Presidents Club rival events March 19, 2018 Leading City firms will this summer join forces to champion for better diversity and inclusivity in the Square Mile. Led by Dame Helena Morrissey, and supported by financial services heavyweights, a series of charitable events have been announced. The high-profile dinners and galas come after the City was rocked by reports of inappropriate behaviour at [...]
The City is coming together to end stigma around mental health in the workplace March 19, 2018 If you asked a City employer what their most valuable assets were, you’d hope most of them would answer “our people”. But how can you look after assets as complicated as people? At any one time, one sixth of the working-age population of Great Britain experience symptoms associated with mental ill health, and with the [...]
Brexit: UK should cuts taxes to remain competitive says accountancy firm March 19, 2018 Accountancy group UHY Hacker Young has called for the UK to slash its tax rates to boost competitiveness post-Brexit. Research by the accountancy group suggested that the UK’s tax burden is 76 per cent higher than that of the major emerging economies. The UK has a tax burden of 38 per cent of GDP, compared [...]
UK fintech: Philip Hammond is launching a strategy for Britain’s fintech sector this week March 19, 2018 Chancellor Philip Hammond is set to launch a fintech strategy this week to bolster the industry in the UK. Hammond is expected to reveal the plan at an international conference on Thursday. According to The Sunday Times, he will say the Financial Services Trade and Investment Board has been asked to pick out two areas [...]
Consumer fears about driverless cars are steadily dropping March 19, 2018 Nearly half of UK consumers still believe that self-driving cars will not be safe. That figure is down from 73 per cent last year, according to Deloitte, suggesting that while concerns are still there, they are steadily diminishing. The auditor’s report found that more than half of UK consumers would feel more comfortable being a [...]
City of London Lord Mayor Charles Bowman “confident” government can agree Brexit transition in 13 days March 19, 2018 London’s Lord Mayor is “quietly confident” the government will secure a transitional Brexit deal in the next fortnight to be ready ahead of the one-year marker for the UK leaving the EU. Charles Bowman, who serves as the figurehead for the City of London Corporation’s lobbying efforts, said the government has indicated it will try [...]
Cambridge Analytica: Data scandal leads to call for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to be grilled by MPs March 19, 2018 The chair of a parliamentary committee has demanded that Mark Zuckerberg “stop hiding behind his Facebook page” and come before MPs to respond to allegations of data misuse by the UK-headquartered political research outfit Cambridge Analytica. Damian Collins, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee, hit out amid revelations that a company [...]