HS2 faces seven-year delay as costs set to balloon to £88bn September 3, 2019 The real cost of HS2 could spiral to £88bn as the project faces years of delays, according to an explosive report authored by the chair of the controversial UK infrastructure project. Allan Cook, who has carried out an internal review of the project, said he did not believe the scheme, which will link London to [...]
Brexit bargains: Foreign buyers snap up UK companies in M&A frenzy September 3, 2019 The value of foreign takeover deals in the UK have jumped over the last quarter, nearly doubling on the previous three-month period after several notable mergers were inked in the City. Read more: UK M&A deal values more than halve amid global tensions Inward mergers and acquisitions, whereby an overseas company acquires a UK firm, [...]
Ryanair and Wizz Air enjoy passenger jump in August September 3, 2019 Ryanair and Wizz Air both enjoyed an uptick in passenger numbers in August, with the latter enjoying a record-breaking month. Ryanair passenger traffic grew to 14.9m last month, up eight per cent on the previous year. In June it carried 14.8m customers. Read more: Ryanair flights continue as normal as pilots kick off three-day strike [...]
Cathay Pacific suspends cabin crew following issue with oxygen bottles September 3, 2019 Cathay Pacific has suspended some members of its cabin crew following the discovery that some oxygen bottles were found to be depleted in two of its recent flights. The airline said some portable oxygen bottles on a flight from Toronto to Hong Kong and Bali to Hong Kong were found to be “discharged or partially” [...]
Ferguson to split UK and US operations as chief executive heads for the exit September 3, 2019 Ferguson revealed plans to separate its UK and US operations this morning while also announcing the departure of its boss. The plumbing and heating giant said that it will demerge the company’s two arms, pending on shareholder approval, to create an independent listed company called Wolseley which will focus exclusively on customers in the UK. [...]
Putney MP Justine Greening to stand down at General Election September 3, 2019 Conservative MP Justine Greening has said she will not stand at the next election, telling Prime Minister Boris Johnson she is “deeply concerned” about his approach over Brexit. During her 14 years in parliament Greening, the MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields, has served as education secretary, transport secretary and international development secretary. She was [...]
Online-only banks set for growth spurt but questions over profit linger September 3, 2019 The UK’s digital-only banks are set to treble their sales in the year ahead, as they ramp up their efforts to challenge high street rivals and disrupt the retail lending market. Despite widespread concerns over their long-term profitability, fast-growing online lenders are on track to amass 35m new customers globally over the next 12 months, [...]
Brexit: PM to call early election if rebel alliance succeeds September 2, 2019 Boris Johnson will ask MPs to back a General Election for 14 October if the rebel alliance successfully seize control of parliament tomorrow. On the steps of Downing Street earlier this evening, the Prime Minister told the public: “I don’t want an election; you don’t want an election.” But a senior government source later confirmed [...]
Boss Christian Sewing to buy £19,000 of Deutsche Bank shares every month until 2023 September 2, 2019 The boss of embattled German lender Deutsche Bank will spend 15 per cent of his monthly net salary buying shares in the company. As part of a pledge earlier this summer, chief executive Christian Sewing will buy €21,250 (£19,339) of shares in the bank on the 22nd of each month until the end of 2022, [...]