GVC shares fall 10 per cent as new chair appointed November 4, 2019 Gambling group GVC said today it had appointed the chairman of Homeserve to chair its business. Longstanding chairman Lee Feldman, who has been on GVC’s board for 15 years and chaired the company for 11, will step down on 27 February. He will be succeeded by Barry Gibson who has been appointed as a non-executive [...]
Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital boosts revenue and profit November 4, 2019 Sir Martin Sorrell’s digital agency S4 Capital increased both revenue and profit in the third quarter, it said today. In a trading update for the three months to 30 September it said revenue was up almost 54 per cent to £56.6m and gross profit up 50 per cent to £42.1m. Year-to-date revenue grew over 46 [...]
Insurer Hiscox sets aside $165m for catastrophe claims November 4, 2019 A trio of natural disasters has caused Hiscox to set aside $165m (£127m) for claims, exceeding the insurer’s catastrophe budget for the second half of the year. The FTSE 100 specialist insurer said this morning that it has reserved a net $165m based on insured market losses for hurricane Dorian and typhoons Hagibis and Faxai. [...]
‘Distressing decline’: UK construction sector contracts again November 4, 2019 The UK construction sector shrank once again in October, survey data has shown, with civil engineering suffering its worst month in a decade as Brexit uncertainty continued to plague the industry. Read more: UK economy to hit decade low even with Brexit deal, report warns The construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) – a gauge of [...]
Tories unveil domestic policy pledges ahead of election November 4, 2019 The Conservative Party has announced four domestic policies on low pay, prisons, police and education as it gears up for a general election next month. The policy pledges included an independent review backing plans for an increase to the national living wage and investment at seven prisons to help reduce drug smuggling and the use [...]
British Airways owner IAG pays €1bn for Air Europa November 4, 2019 British Airways’ parent company, IAG, has reached a €1bn deal to acquire rival Air Europa in a bid to bolster its presence in the South Atlantic. The deal means IAG can turn its Madrid hub into “a true rival” to the four European hubs of Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Heathrow and Paris Charles De Gaulle airports, the [...]
Kier share price slumps as lenders ‘seek to offload debt’ November 4, 2019 Kier’s share price slumped seven per cent today following a report alleging lenders are trying to pass on its debt to hedge funds. Kier fell 8.4 per cent to 107.6p in early trading, with HSBC supposedly marketing the firm’s debt for as little as 70p in the pound. Read more: Kier lenders ‘try to offload [...]
Takeaway.com seeks to add certainty to Just Eat deal November 4, 2019 Takeaway.com has changed the structure of its bid to buy food delivery platform Just Eat allowing it to reduce the shareholder acceptance threshold as it battles against a rival offer from Prosus. Takeaway.com and Just Eat had previously agreed the terms of a recommended all-share combination through a court sanctioned scheme of arrangement, which required [...]
Mothercare to appoint administrators for 79 UK stores November 4, 2019 Mothercare has confirmed it is preparing to appoint administrators to its UK retail arm later today in the latest blow to the British high street. The company announced this morning that a notice of intent to appoint administrators to Mothercare UK and Mothercare Business Services has been filed with the court. Read more: Mothercare warns [...]
McDonald’s boss fired for relationship with employee November 4, 2019 The chief executive of McDonald’s has been fired for violating a company policy by dating an employee. British-born boss Steve Easterbrook has left the fast food chain after demonstrating “poor judgement”, McDonald’s said on Sunday. Read more: McDonald’s misses estimates in latest quarterly earnings In an email to staff, Easterbrook acknowledged he had struck up [...]