Autumn Budget 2024: Minimum wage set for above inflation hike October 29, 2024 Firms could be set to face higher payroll costs as the minimum wage is reportedly set to increase by more than six per cent at Wednesday’s Budget. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce an above inflation raise that is higher than was predicted last month, according to the Times newspaper. It will result in [...]
Investec downgrades ‘deeply underwhelming’ Martin Currie trust October 29, 2024 Investec has downgraded a Martin Currie-run investment trust due to its “deeply underwhelming” performance, arguing investors should sell out of the vehicle. The performance of the £234.5m Martin Currie Global Portfolio has been “concerning” and its attempts to keep its stock price up are “clearly not sustainable,” warned Investec analysts Alan Brierley and Ben Newell. [...]
Housing market continues to strengthen as mortgage rates fall October 29, 2024 New figures from the Bank of England showed that 65,600 new mortgages were approved in September, the highest figure since August 2022.
Hawksmoor: Sales and profits sizzle as steak chain hunts for a buyer October 29, 2024 Sales and profit both surged at Hawksmoor during its latest financial year ahead of a potential sale which could value the steakhouse chain at £100m. The London-headquartered business has reported a turnover of £89.7m for 2023, up from the £73.9m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House have also revealed that the firm’s [...]
Football regulator boss should come from the Square Mile, says Crouch October 29, 2024 Former sports minister Tracey Crouch says the incoming football regulator should be run by someone with a background in the City. Crouch has done more than anyone to give rise to the regulator by making it a key recommendation in her fan-led review of football governance. A revised bill laying out the watchdog’s proposed powers [...]
London jobs market hit hard due to ‘frenzy of Budget speculation’ October 29, 2024 Muniya Barua, deputy chief executive at BusinessLDN, said that the "frenzy of Budget speculation" was weighing on employers' hiring intentions.
YouGov shares jump after revenue and profit growth revealed October 29, 2024 YouGov shares jumped 13 per cent on Tuesday as the data firm reported revenue and operating profit narrowly ahead of full-year expectations. In unaudited results for the year to 31 July, 2024, Yougov posted a three per cent organic revenue increase, with reported revenue up 30 per cent to £335.3m, driven by its recent CPS [...]
How retail investors are bracing for a Rachel Reeves tax raid October 29, 2024 Fear among retail investors is building in the face of this week’s Budget, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ rumoured changes to capital gains tax and inheritance tax hanging over the heads of individual stockpickers. While capital gains tax currently sits at 20 per cent, speculation has spread that it could be hiked when the government lays [...]
HSBC chief Elhedery says no plans for Asia spin-off in global revamp October 29, 2024 HSBC’s new chief executive has insisted his redrawing of the bank’s operations between East and West is not a precursor to the kind of break-up demanded by one of its biggest shareholders last year. Speaking after HSBC’s third-quarter results on Tuesday, Georges Elhedery said the main reason for his overhaul “is to make us a [...]
IG Design: Card maker’s cost-cutting drive starts to pay off despite profit plummet October 29, 2024 Profit at IG Design, the world’s largest maker of greeting cards, wrapping paper and gift bags, has been slashed but the firm is now cash generative and expecting to make a comeback in the second half of the year. As expected, group revenue fell 11 per cent in the six months to September, causing adjusted profit to [...]