Direct Line share price jumps after making its first ever growth promises August 1, 2017 Britain’s largest motor insurer Direct Line is for the first time backing itself for the longer-term after today beating expectations on half-year earnings. Shares in the FTSE 100 firm jumped over five per cent as shareholders were rewarded with a 39 per cent dividend increase. Meanwhile, the insurer made a commitment to hike shareholder payouts [...]
Halal service HalalEat looks to gobble up a slice of the food delivery boom August 1, 2017 HalalEat, the London-based food delivery startup, has today launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund its plan to expand nationwide. The company, founded in 2015, currently delivers food in East London and has limited coverage in Birmingham, Luton, Kingston and Portsmouth. HalalEat’s equity raising campaign on Seedrs reached 40 per cent of its £100,000 goal in [...]
Barclays chief executive Jes Staley quizzed by regulators investigating him over attempts to ID whistleblower August 1, 2017 Barclays chief executive Jes Staley has been formally questioned by regulators over his attempts to unmask a whistleblower. The bank announced in April that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) were probing Staley after he tried to identify the author of a letter raising concerns about a senior employee in 2016. [...]
Man oh man: Investment manager Man Group’s profits rocket as funds under management leap August 1, 2017 Man (Group) certainly need not live on bread alone, as the investment manager this morning reported a massive rise in funds under management. The FTSE 250-listed hedge fund group, most of whose clients are institutional investors, saw net inflows of $8.2bn (£6.2bn) over the first half of 2017, compared to just $1bn a year previously. [...]
Chancellor Philip Hammond launches consultation into funding the next UK unicorn startups August 1, 2017 Philip Hammond has proposed a new investment fund for innovative UK companies to help them become “unicorns” valued at more than $1bn (£760m). The chancellor today launched a consultation on financing growth in innovative firms in response to an identified £4bn funding gap between American and British firms. Read more: Chancellor lays out four-pronged approach [...]
Deutsche Bank brushes off Brexit to show commitment to the City as it signs for new London headquarters at Moorgate August 1, 2017 Deutsche Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to the City, despite saying just weeks ago that it would “inevitably” move jobs to Frankfurt, after Land Securities Group (Landsec) confirmed today that the lease agreement for Deutsche’s new London headquarters would go ahead. Deutsche announced in March it had agreed a pre-let deal with landlord Landsec, as [...]
Warren East’s efficiency plan pays off as Rolls-Royce sees return to profit August 1, 2017 Aeroplane engine-maker Rolls-Royce reported a return to profit in its half-year results this morning, reversing a loss of more than £2bn this time last year. The figures Chief executive Warren East’s two-year plan to drive efficiency led the company to increase revenue by 12 per cent to £7.57bn. After suffering a loss of £2.15bn last [...]
We need a British Agricultural Policy to boost productivity and protect the environment August 1, 2017 The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the EU’s largest and oldest policy, absorbing nearly 40 per cent of its budget. And, as even the most zealous Europhiles would admit, it is one of its most disastrous. Over the last 40 years, CAP has focused on the interests of producers, raising food prices for consumers, distorting [...]
The Brexit divides could help realign our polarised politics August 1, 2017 Have you ever wondered why many Tories spent the past two elections implying that Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn hated Britain and would destroy its institutions? Or why progressives within the Labour party regularly accuse the Tories of “attacking” the poor, women and minorities? Or perhaps why classical liberals and libertarians got so animated about [...]
On yer Mobike: Another cycle sharing scheme’s arrived in London after oBike, starting with Ealing July 31, 2017 It looks like Londoners will have more bike choices than ever before, as another cycle sharing scheme pulls up in the capital. Mobike, a Chinese startup unicorn (valued at more than a billion dollars, that is), will be available in Ealing from today, its first foray into the capital after a somewhat bumpy arrival in [...]