Shell enjoys one of its ‘strongest ever quarters’ on oil price rise November 1, 2018 Shell reported a 37 per cent profit rise to $5.6bn (£4.35bn) as higher oil prices helped the company to one of its strongest ever quarters. The figures The oil giant reported cash flow of $12.1bn from its operations in the three months to the end of September, a 59 per cent on the previous same [...]
FAANGs come out to play in Halloween shares surge October 31, 2018 Technology's biggest players, lumped together as the so-called FAANG stocks, have ended their October losing streak which had left investors spooked with just one day to go. Netflix's share price saw the biggest gains out of the FAANGs grouping, rising almost seven per cent this afternoon off the back of better-than-expected results for Facebook last night. The social [...]
Brazil backs Bolsanaro: what next? October 31, 2018 The will and ability to reform Financial markets, at least, had been rooting for a defeat of the left-wing candidate Fernando Haddad, successor to former president Lula, on the basis of the very different economic policies espoused by the two candidates. Superficially, this seems odd given that Bolsonaro has repeatedly voted against reform and spoken [...]
Listed butcher Crawshaw crashes into administration with 600 jobs at risk October 31, 2018 Butchers chain Crashaw suspended its shares this morning after it announced it was calling in the administrators. The chain, which has 50 shops across the midlands and north of England, employs more than 600 people. In a statement it said: “The company does not have sufficient cash resources to effect the required restructuring of the [...]
Book to inspire women into UK’s offshore oil and gas industry October 31, 2018 A book to inspire young women to pursue a career in the UK's offshore oil and gas industry will be published later this week. The book contains profiles and interviews with high profile women across the sector to encourage young women to move into the sector. It is written by Katy Heidenreich, the operations optimisation [...]
It’s easier to strike a business deal in Georgia and Norway than in the UK, says World Bank October 31, 2018 The UK has dropped two places on a global ranking of the ease of doing business to be overtaken by Georgia and Norway, the World Bank revealed today. The UK is now the ninth easiest country in the world to conduct business, down from seventh place in last year's report, as it's score for trading across [...]
Global stock markets rise from the dead as Halloween surge raises spirits October 31, 2018 Global stock markets have risen from the dead as a Halloween surge treated investors at the end of a terrifying month of losses. The FTSE 100 climbed 1.6 per cent to a three-week high on Wednesday to raise spirits after an October which has spooked investors. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 1.7 per cent [...]
Glencore increases cost savings forecast on stronger coal prices October 31, 2018 Mining giant Glencore expects to achieve 50 per cent more cost savings after being boosted by strong coal prices. As part of a two-year cost-cutting drive the Anglo-Swiss firm had expected to save around $300m (£235m) by the end of the year but could now make savings of more than $450m, it said on Wednesday. [...]
DEBATE: Today, on the 10th birthday of bitcoin, is blockchain fulfilling its promise? October 31, 2018 Today, on the tenth birthday of bitcoin, is blockchain fulfilling its promise? John Velissarios, Accenture’s global blockchain technology lead, says YES. Blockchain’s promise is to bring trust to transactions where it didn’t exist before. It is distributed and consensus-based, and security is woven into the data, so it cannot be tampered with. The past 10 [...]
This Budget was a masterclass in dishonesty and manipulation October 31, 2018 So what was it? A cautious Budget? An astute Budget? A get-me-through-the-day Budget? Did you feel the earth move – or the need to change your financial affairs, for better or worse? Was there more than a zzzzz from the markets? It certainly was not the tax reform Budget that our economy desperately needs to put [...]