One month after Brexit: what’s happened so far? February 28, 2020 | City Talk It’s been a month since the UK’s exit from the EU, but has anything actually changed? The UK has now moved into a transitional period which will last until December 31st. During this time, we exist under the terms outlined in our ‘divorce agreement’. Negotiations for a final trade deal are underway and the fate [...]
Global stock rout continues as coronavirus rattles markets February 27, 2020 US and European stock markets continued their dramatic slide today as investors rapidly lose taste for riskier assets amid the global coronavirus outbreak. In the US, the S&P 500 stock index was 1.2 per cent lower four hours into trading. Earlier in the day it had briefly fallen into so-called correction territory – a fall [...]
Oil sinks to lowest price in a year as virus fears grow February 27, 2020 Oil prices today hit their lowest level since January last year as fears about the impact of the coronavirus on the world economy grew. Brent crude was down 4.3 per cent to $51.14 a barrel this afternoon as the virus continues its spread outside of China. Any impact on global consumption or manufacturing patterns will [...]
Hunting shares surge despite earnings slip February 27, 2020 Engineering group Hunting saw its shares jump almost 14 per cent to 331p by the close of trading in London this evening after it gave a “cautiously optimistic” lookahead for the year. The company, which makes equipment for the oil and fracking industry, credits its success with a strong balance sheet containing $40m (£31m) in [...]
Financial watchdog to investigate scandal-ridden NMC Health February 27, 2020 NMC Health is facing battles on two fronts after the City watchdog stepped up its probe into the embattled hospital operator and a major shareholder criticised its handling of an investigation into its finances. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will investigate NMC, the FTSE 100 company said, just hours after trading in its shares was [...]
Out for justice: action star Steven Seagal fined $330,000 by US financial regulator February 27, 2020 Action film supremo Steven Seagal found himself on deadly ground today when he was hit with a $330,000 (£256,000) fine by US financial regulator the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Exit Wounds-star discovered he was not above the law after promoting an initial coin offering (ICO) on social media without disclosing he was being [...]
Coronavirus: Global stocks spill $3 trillion as Covid-19 sends FTSE 100 staggering February 27, 2020 European stocks tumbled yet again today as fresh coronavirus concerns saw the FTSE 100 sink three per cent this afternoon as stock markets across the world dropped sharply. London’s blue-chip index plunged far below 7,000 points to 6,831.2 today after Australia’s Prime Minister warned the world is on the brink of a coronavirus pandemic. Cases [...]
Pound falls as UK threatens to walk away from Brexit trade talks February 27, 2020 The pound is down against the euro after Downing Street threatened to walk away from Brexit trade talks in June if it appears an agreement is unlikely. The pound fell 0.79 per cent against the euro to €1.175 and down to $1.288 against the dollar, as Britain reiterated its no-deal Brexit threat. Boris Johnson published [...]
Shares in crisis-hit NMC Health suspended February 27, 2020 Trading in NMC Health shares has been suspended this morning after the embattled hospital operator fired its chief executive and revealed $335m (£259m) of secret guarantees benefitting companies owned by two of its major shareholders. In addition to sacking boss Prasanth Manghat, leaving it with no executive board members, the company has also granted its [...]
FTSE 100 steadies after two days of steep losses February 26, 2020 The FTSE 100 steadied after dropping to a 13-month low earlier in the day after two days of heavy losses prompted by growing fears over a coronavirus pandemic. London’s blue-chip stock index fell 1.6 per cent to below 7,000 points to 6,903, its lowest point since February 2019, before recovering 0.1 per cent. The FTSE [...]