Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia: Three ways UK firms can prosper post-Brexit October 24, 2019 This is an important moment for business across the UK. Whatever the final outcome of the Brexit negotiations, as business leaders we have to keep our eyes on the big picture – which means thinking years and not days ahead. I believe the fundamentals of the UK are strong. The onus now is on business [...]
More details emerge in Essex lorry death case October 24, 2019 New details have emerged about the movements of a lorry that was found in Essex yesterday containing the bodies of 39 people. The Belgian Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office today said it had opened a case into the deaths of the 39 people who were found yesterday at Grays in Essex. According to the prosecutor, the [...]
Let’s use Tube tunnels to boost London’s broadband connections October 24, 2019 One of London’s biggest infrastructure challenges is how to spread gigabit connectivity far and wide. Today, because of the way connectivity has been managed nationally, the vast majority of Londoners still get their broadband services through a ‘last mile’ of copper connections, with full fibre only reaching around 10 per cent of households. Read more: [...]
Schroders to take charge of Woodford Patient Capital Trust October 24, 2019 Schroders will take charge of the embattled Woodford Patient Capital Trust (WPCT) after former star stockpicker Neil Woodford’s abrupt departure last week. Shares in WPCT surged over 28 per cent in morning trading following the news. Read more: DEBATE: Can Neil Woodford’s reputation ever recover? Woodford’s fall from grace was cemented last week when he [...]
Metro Bank to be loss-making ‘in 2020 and beyond’, Barclays warns October 24, 2019 City experts have warned of further pain to come at Metro Bank after the troubled lender revealed widening losses last night. Metro Bank reported underlying losses before tax of £3.6m for the first nine months of the year after the bell closed yesterday, falling from £25.1m last year as a result of a major accountancy [...]
Astrazeneca beats estimates in strong third quarter October 24, 2019 Astrazeneca raised its full-year product sales forecast for the second time today, as it was boosted by strong demand for new cancer treatments and 40 per cent growth in China. The drugmaker beat market expectations for both profit and sales in the third quarter, with sales hitting $6.13bn (£4.75bn), outstripping a consensus estimate of $5.86bn. [...]
RBS swings to loss in wake of £900m PPI charges October 24, 2019 The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) swung to a loss during the last quarter as a rush of payment protection insurance (PPI) claims caused a £900m hit to the lender’s balance sheet. RBS reports an operating loss of £8m for the nine months to the end of September 2019, falling from £961m in the same period last [...]
Sir Richard Branson set to launch Virgin Galactic float on Monday October 24, 2019 Sir Richard Branson has announced that he is planning to float his space venture Virgin Galactic on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. Branson said he hoped to be there to ring the bell himself as his space flight company becomes the first to go public next week. Read more: Boeing invests $20m in [...]
Downing Street denies cabinet split over general election timing October 24, 2019 Downing Street today rejected reports of divisions within Boris Johnson’s Cabinet over when the government should try to call a general election, as it considers the next steps to deliver Brexit. The Prime Minister is thought to favour a general election if the EU suggests a Brexit delay until 31 January 2020. Read more: Moody’s: [...]
Facial recognition tech powered by AI poses a threat to society October 24, 2019 Facial recognition software feels like it has stepped out of the realms of science fiction and into reality. Thanks to massive developments in artificial intelligence (AI), cameras and surveillance systems can now check and analyse someone’s facial features in real time. This is a profound step forward in the realms of biometric security, and major [...]