Heathrow airport faces fresh calls to increase competition between airlines October 17, 2019 Heathrow airport has come under fresh pressure to increase competition between airlines, amid concerns over a monopoly by British Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG). A survey has suggested 57 per cent of British travellers support more choice of airline at Heathrow, one day after the transport secretary backed calls for greater competition. Read more: [...]
UK companies cut marketing budgets for first time in seven years October 17, 2019 UK companies have cut their marketing budgets for the first time in seven years as ongoing uncertainty has forced bosses to keep a tight control over spending. A net balance of -0.5 per cent of companies reported a reduction in their marketing budgets in the third quarter, according to the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising’s [...]
Netflix shares rise as it beats profit expectations ahead of streaming wars October 16, 2019 Shares in Netflix rose as much as much as nine per cent in after-hours trading as the streaming giant’s third-quarter profit beat analysts’ forecasts. Netflix today reported net profit of $665m (£518.5m) in the three months to the end of September, up almost 40 per cent on the same period last year. Earnings per share [...]
That’s a rap: Hipgnosis lands Timbaland catalogue as it beefs up portfolio October 16, 2019 Music royalties investment firm Hipgnosis has bought the music catalogue of prolific US record producer Timbaland in its latest high-profile acquisition. Read more: Musical shares: Why Merck Mercuriadis believes the old ones are always the best The London-listed firm said it has secured the rights to 108 albums and songs belonging to Timothy Mosley, better [...]
Thomas Cook liquidators secure bids for valuable airport slots October 16, 2019 The liquidators of collapsed airline Thomas Cook are said to have secured bids from some of the UK’s largest carriers after kicking off an auction of dozens of UK airport slots. KPMG set a deadline of 5pm today for bids for the take-off and landing slots as part of an auction that could raise tens [...]
Relocations rise ahead of Brexit but London will stay ‘dominant’, report finds October 16, 2019 More than 330 financial firms have relocated parts of their business ahead of Britain’s imminent departure from the EU, a new report has found. Hundreds of banks and financial services companies have moved staff or set up new entities in the EU, rising by 23 per cent since a previous report in March. Read more: [...]
Government ditches controversial ‘porn block’ plan in favour of wider online harms laws October 16, 2019 The government has quietly dropped plans to introduce strict age verification measures to prevent under-18s from viewing online pornography. The controversial proposals, which were hampered by a series of delays, would have forced commercial porn providers to verify their users’ age, or face being blocked in Britain. Read more: Minister apologises as UK porn laws [...]
London Assembly makes way for police watchdog on Boris Johnson and Jennifer Arcuri inquiry October 16, 2019 Two Greater London Authority inquiries into conflict of interest claims against Boris Johnson have been put on hold after fears it could prejudice a police watchdog investigation. The London Assembly’s Oversight Committee has been investigating Johnson’s links to American businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri while he was mayor. Read more: Boris Johnson stays mum on Arcuri conflict [...]
City of London Corporation accused of politicising its primary council October 16, 2019 The City of London Corporation has been accused by one of its councillors of going beyond its remit and attacking the government in a “political stunt”. The corporation’s Court of Common Council, its key decision making body, approved a motion last week to give its “full and unequivocal support” to the independence of the UK’s [...]
Barratt Developments reassures investors over Brexit October 16, 2019 Britain’s biggest housebuilder Barratt Developments shrugged off concerns about political and economic uncertainty this morning as it reassured investors it could deal with the potential effects of Brexit. The FTSE 100 developer said it has a strong balance sheet and cash position to provide it with the resilience and flexibility to react to “potential changes [...]