Asda to ‘Covid-proof’ trolleys and hire 1,000 safety marshals September 23, 2020 Asda has revealed a new investment plan to make its supermarkets Covid-secure, including the use of technology found in NHS coronavirus hospitals. The supermarket giant said it would appoint 1,000 new safety marshals stationed outside doors and in aisles, to make sure customers are wearing masks and maintaining a social distance from other shoppers. It [...]
Incoming Amigo boss quits before starting after board dispute September 23, 2020 The incoming chief executive of troubled subprime lender Amigo Loans today quit the company before he had even taken up the position. Glen Crawford, a director and chief executive designate today left the business after a “divergence of views with the majority of the board”. Crawford was chief executive of the business from 2016 until [...]
Ant Group set to raise $17.5bn in Hong Kong listing September 23, 2020 Ant Group is said to be targeting a raise of $17.5bn when it goes public in Hong Kong as part of a dual listing that will also see it float in Shanghai. The Chinese firm is hoping to raise a total of $35bn across both listings, which if successful, will top Saudi Aramco’s $29.4bn debut [...]
US business growth slips slightly but remains ‘solid’ September 23, 2020 Growth in the US private sector was “solid” but cooled off slightly in September as services firms lost some momentum, a preliminary survey has shown. The IHS Markit US composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) – which measures the health of companies – slipped to 54.4 in September from 54.6 in August. A score of above [...]
FCA drops BoE audio probe but Bank acknowledges lapses September 23, 2020 The Bank of England “could have identified sooner” the “misuse” of an audio feed of its press conferences after being warned of a potential problem, the BoE’s internal auditor has found. However, the UK’s financial watchdog said it had closed its investigation into Encoded Media, the company at the centre of the storm, saying it [...]
Facebook backtracks on pulling out of Europe over data laws September 23, 2020 Facebook’s head of policy has said the company won’t be making its platforms inaccessible in the EU, despite reportedly making that argument to an Irish court as it battles new data transfer legislation. The company was said to have told Ireland’s High Court it cannot see how its services could operate in the EU if [...]
Former BT boss tapped to lead search for Huawei replacement September 23, 2020 Former BT chief executive and trade minister Lord Ian Livingston has been tapped to find alternative telecoms providers to replace Huawei equipment in the UK’s 5G networks. Livingston has been named as chair of a new government task force that will seek to diversify the country’s telecoms supply chain and reduce reliance on high-risk vendors. [...]
Heathrow Airport operating at a fifth of normal levels September 23, 2020 The boss of the UK’s largest airport has said that Heathrow is operating at 15 to 20 per cent of its normal levels for this time of the year. Speaking at today’s World Aviation festival, which is being held virtually, John Holland-Kaye reassured listeners that demand would return despite the current downturn in traffic. He [...]
Mars scraps Uncle Ben’s branding over racism links September 23, 2020 Mars has announced its Uncle Ben’s rice brand will be renamed Ben’s Original following accusations of racial stereotyping, as the retail giant joins a list of global brands seeking to brush up their image. Mars today unveiled its revamp for the 70-year-old rice brand, which will see its logo of an African-American man dropped in [...]
Mobile World Congress postponed to late June 2021 September 23, 2020 Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world’s largest telecoms conference, has been pushed back further to late June next year. Organisers GSMA said the event, which usually attracts more than 100,000 professionals, will be postponed to make it possible to gather safely. MWC 2021 was originally scheduled for early March in Barcelona. It will now be [...]