Ashtead raises dividend after strong US performance June 18, 2019 Ashtead hiked its dividend today after posting a 20 per cent rise in full-year profits thanks to a strong performance in the US. Read more: Net debt rises at Ashtead The figures Revenue rose 19 per cent year on year to £4.5bn for the year to the end of April, the UK equipment rental company [...]
Government plans new powers to stop firms exploiting loyal consumers June 18, 2019 The competition watchdog is set to be given new powers to fine companies exploiting consumer loyalty in a crackdown on “subscription traps” and unfair cancellation charges. The government has proposed giving the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) legal powers to penalise firms without going through the courts. Read more: UK watchdog calls for new powers [...]
South Western Railway strike: Thousands hit by industrial action June 18, 2019 Commuters faced the first of five days of disruption as a South Western Railway strike hit trains to and from London Waterloo station today. Passengers face rush hour chaos for the rest of the week and into the weekend on the route after workers with the Rail, Mairitme and Transport Union (RMT) walked out over [...]
Safestore boosted as self-storage market resilient to economic uncertainty June 18, 2019 Self storage company Safestore enjoyed an earnings boost in the first half of the year as occupancy rates rose in its UK and Parisian stores. However, profits fell more than 50 per cent due to a reduced gain on its investment properties. Read more: Safestore plans four new units after strong year of growth The [...]
Heathrow airport reveals third runway ‘masterplan’ June 18, 2019 The masterplan for Heathrow’s £14bn third runway will be revealed to the public for the first time today, alongside its largest-ever consultation into the project. The airport will reveal how it plans to reduce emissions and noise – two areas that campaigners have circled out as areas of concern – as well as a proposed [...]
Which stocks are in the dividend danger-zone? June 18, 2019 Dividends are one of the perks of the stock markets. While investors can opt to take dividends as cash, reinvesting them can have a powerful impact on your portfolio. According to analysis from Fidelity, if you’d invested £100 a month in the FTSE All Share index over the past 30 years and reinvested all of [...]
Is Angela Merkel to blame for Europe’s woes? June 18, 2019 Sakrileg: the German word for sacrilege – that is, the violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred. And yes, I’m about to go there by asking if the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, been a disaster for Europe. I’ve been wondering if Merkel’s prolonged tenure at the Federal Chancellery has been extending the region’s [...]
Beware the rising threat of ‘onlyness’ in the office June 18, 2019 Countless times at work, I’ve thought to myself “is it just me?”, “am I invisible?”, or “surely that’s not right?”. And I’m not the only one who has wanted to raise a concern in the office but didn’t – in fact, there are millions of us in the same boat. Rungway’s market research recently found [...]
DEBATE: Would Rory Stewart be a good Prime Minister to lead the UK through Brexit? June 18, 2019 Would Rory Stewart be a good Prime Minister to lead the UK through Brexit? Olivia Utley, deputy editor at TheArticle, says YES. To make a success of Brexit at this late stage in the game, our new Prime Minister will have to do more than negotiate a good deal with the EU. He must – [...]
Chuka failed – but the centre ground isn’t as empty as you’d think June 18, 2019 It’s been a sad, strange journey for Chuka Umunna. Only a few short years ago, he was being touted as Britain’s Barack Obama, the telegenic answer to Labour’s prayers – at a time when their then leader couldn’t even eat a bacon sandwich without looking like his face was pulling in three different directions. But [...]