There is a moral, social and business case for a diverse and inclusive Square Mile June 22, 2020 The senseless and shocking death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that have followed in the US and the UK have highlighted again the racism that sadly still exists in society. This is a difficult, complex, and emotional issue for all of us, and one that has also rightly caused much concern [...]
With the rest of the world distracted, China is on the march across Asia June 22, 2020 There are iron-clad geopolitical rules as to how the world works, edicts no less true because they are unknown by the vast majority of people. The vastly underrated Nicholas J. Spykman, the foremost US strategic theoretician of the twentieth century, was a primary articulator of these secret runes. As Spykman postulated, the underlying rules to [...]
A regulated blockchain can empower governments, corporations, and people June 22, 2020 For too long, blockchain has been regarded as an obscure technology powering an industry that cannot be trusted. According to a recent trust survey by Edelman, three in four people said they were not familiar with blockchain and cryptocurrencies, while 60 per cent believed that these technologies were not regulated enough. So how can we [...]
We must not abandon the people of Hong Kong behind a new Great Wall June 19, 2020 Hong Kong is a city of refugees. When the People’s Republic of China was declared in 1949, refugees from the mainland flooded to the island territory to benefit from the city’s freedoms. And even before this, Hong Kong was seen as a safe haven for national figures such as Sun Yat-sen in the early twentieth century, wanted [...]
Let retail investors help aid a rapid recovery June 19, 2020 Since lockdown began, there has been a trend of companies acting to build up their reserves through equity fundraises — with over £10bn raised since the pandemic began. However, the vast majority of these fundraises have so far not been open to retail investors. While companies urgently need liquidity now more than ever, neglecting to [...]
As China gears up on the cyber offensive, we need herd immunity to boost our national resilience June 19, 2020 With a GDP of $13.5 trillion, dwarfing Britain’s by almost $12 trillion, China is the third most economically powerful country in the world after Russia and the US — for now at least. And as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts the world in a way not seen since the Second World War, China is seeking to [...]
Covid hits hospitality: Restaurant brands will need to go back to basics to get punters through the door June 19, 2020 It is the little things, isn’t it? The familiar greeting from a favourite waiter. A glass of pinot overlooking the Thames. Bread baskets upon chequered cloth. The first coffee of an early morning brunch; the spontaneous late night pizza. The people watching. The buzz of conversation. It all feels so long ago. As normality, or [...]
AIM shows signs of life as it celebrates its 25th birthday June 19, 2020 As AIM prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary today, the junior market is proving remarkably resilient and adaptable. Faced with Covid turbulence, AIM has so far performed well in comparison to other markets, helping to cushion investors from the worst effects of the downturn. In the first five months of 2020, the AIM all-share index [...]
DEBATE: Is now really the time to be focusing on tariff-free trade with Australia? June 18, 2020 Is now really the time to be focusing on tariff-free trade with Australia? Matthew Lesh, head of research at the Adam Smith Institute, says YES. The launch of the UK-Australia trade talks this week are an important opportunity for a global Britain. Britain abandoned her antipodean cousins by joining the European Economic Community in 1973. [...]
With some flexible thinking, the government can help SMEs reopen for business June 18, 2020 As shop doors opened once again this week and queues began to build, we caught a glimpse of what the coming months will be like for “non-essential” shops. Already, it is clear that while Brexit might mean Brexit, reopening certainly does not mean reopening for many businesses across the UK. As the next phase begins, [...]