NatWest notches up £2.5bn in ‘resilient’ first half, as lending rises July 30, 2021 NatWest roped in some 2.5bn in operating profit before tax in the past six months, swinging from a loss of £770m in the first half of 2020. The British bank’s net lending rose by £2.2bn to £362.7bn in the six months to 30 June, while UK and RBSI retail and commercial businesses pushed lending to [...]
Paying tax sooner – HMRC wants its money faster July 30, 2021 | City Talk What are the challenges and advantages of paying tax closer to real-time? HMRC calls for evidence and ICAS responds. Nobody is likely to volunteer to pay tax sooner, unless it would earn interest at a competitive rate perhaps. But knowing what your tax liability is, and when you need to pay it, as close to [...]
Eurozone economic growth outstrips forecasts July 30, 2021 The Eurozone economy is recovering much faster from the Covid crisis than experts’ forecasts as the vaccine rollout and the reopening of the services industry boosts consumer spending, shows new figures published today. The Eurozone economy grew two per cent in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, according [...]
Exclusive: Does Google’s ad crackdown leave Brits at risk of fraud and mis-selling? July 30, 2021 In what Google described as a “significant additional measure” to protect both its users and legitimate advertisers, and to prevent scammers exploiting its various platforms, the multinational tech giant recently announced its intention to clamp down on financial fraud by forcing all financial services advertisers to demonstrate that they are authorised by the Financial Conduct [...]
Microsoft in talks to back pandemic bruised Indian hotel chain Oyo July 30, 2021 Microsoft is in late-stage talks to invest in Indian budget hotel chain Oyo, according to reports, after a bruising 18 months for the business. The backing would value the startup at around $9bn, sources said, although the investment figure is not yet known. The deal may close as soon as Friday, one source said. The [...]
More IPO leaders called Steve than female led ones July 30, 2021 Female founded IPOs have accounted for 3.6 per cent of all IPOs since 2016, according to new research. The data, which reviewed the last five years of IPO activity, showed that out of the 276 companies that went public on the London Stock Exchange between 2016 and 2020 – just ten were led by a female CEO or founder. [...]
BA owner IAG dives to fresh €2bn loss July 30, 2021 British Airways owner IAG today plunged to a €2bn (£1.7bn) half year loss as continued travel restrictions continue to batter the airlines group. In the second quarter, the FTSE blue chip said that its airlines flew at a combined capacity of 21.9 per cent. For the coming period, it expects this to rise to 45 [...]
GMB calls for clarity over Sizewell C funding July 30, 2021 The energy workers union has today called on the government to end the uncertainty over the future of Sizewell C nuclear plant after reports emerged that ministers were looking to end China’s involvement in the project. GMB union said that if the government were to do so, it should lay out alternative funding arrangements for [...]
Deliveroo set to pull out of Spain following gig economy law changes July 30, 2021 Deliveroo is set to shut down its operations in Spain, months after the government announced changes to the legal status of gig economy workers. The British company, which listed in London earlier this year, said it would consult on pulling out of the market due to the high levels of investment needed and uncertainty over [...]
Hong Kong: First person charged under national security law sentenced to nine years July 30, 2021 The first person to be charged under Hong Kong’s national security law has been sentenced to nine years in prison. Tong Ying-Kit was arrested following a pro-democracy protest in the city last July in which he rode a motorbike into three police officers flying a flag with the phrase “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our [...]