Sears caves to bankruptcy as widespread store closures loom October 15, 2018 It was once the world’s largest retailer. Now, US department store chain Sears has filed for bankruptcy, losing a fight for survival in a fresh sign of the tough retail conditions hitting high street giants. The 125-year-old company said this morning that it plans to close 142 of its 500 stores, having just recently closed [...]
FAANGs out: Tech stocks set to continue slide after losing $172bn in a single day October 11, 2018 Yesterday's $172bn (£130bn) tech stocks slide is set to worsen today, as pre-market trading indicates each of the so-called FAANG companies could stand to lose further value. Amazon was the worst hit overnight, losing an additional 2.24 per cent on top of yesterday's 6.15 per cent slide which wiped around $56bn off its market capitalisation. Apple [...]
EU pushes for new technology tax on internet giants Facebook, Amazon and Google October 10, 2018 The EU is pushing for a new tax on technology giants such as Facebook, Amazon and Google that it claims could raise £4.4bn a year across Europe. Seven months ago, the European Commission published proposals for a three per cent tax on the revenues of multi-national internet companies with global revenues above £660m a year. [...]
Amazon abandons sexist AI-powered recruiting tool October 10, 2018 Amazon has reportedly had to scrap an artificially intelligent recruitment tool built by its in-house engineering team, after sources told Reuters the results began to be skewed in favour of male candidates. Five members of the team who worked on the tool in 2014 said it began to teach itself that male candidates were preferable over [...]
Amazon eyes British retail space for grocery stores October 7, 2018 Online retail giant Amazon is eyeing up the acquisition of several sites in Britain to develop its checkout-free grocery business. The Sunday Times yesterday quoted sources as saying Amazon wanted stores of between 4,000 sq ft and 5,000 sq ft to house Amazon Go, an arm of the business that uses technology to track the [...]
UK cyber security agency backs Apple and Amazon’s denials of Chinese hardware hack October 5, 2018 The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said it had no cause to doubt statements made by Apple and Amazon yesterday, denying a Bloomberg report that malicious computer chips were placed inside their equipment by foreign agents. Bloomberg cited 17 anonymous sources across US intelligence agencies and company insiders, who stipulated Chinese intelligence officials had infiltrated [...]
Apple and Amazon deny reports of Chinese hardware hack October 4, 2018 US tech giants such as Apple and Amazon have denied reports of a Chinese hack on their hardware systems, after a Bloomberg investigation claimed malicious computer chips were placed inside equipment by foreign agents. Bloomberg cited 17 anonymous sources across US intelligence agencies and company insiders, who stipulated Chinese intelligence officials had infiltrated around 30 US [...]
DEBATE: Can traditional small-state conservatives justify imposing a new digital tax? October 3, 2018 Debate: Can traditional small-state conservatives justify imposing a new digital tax? YES, says Waqar Riaz, head of data-driven marketing at Cheil Europe. Few can argue with the idea that big business should pay its fair share towards public services like the NHS or education. Yet, as business has become increasingly global in nature, legislation has failed to [...]
Airbnb reveals its UK tax bill amid Tory calls for a digital services tax October 2, 2018 Airbnb paid just shy of £600,000 in UK tax last year, City A.M. can reveal, as chancellor Philip Hammond raises calls for a unilateral digital services tax on tech firms. In financial accounts seen by City A.M. and due to be published on Companies House later this week, Airbnb paid just £596,992 in corporate tax in the year [...]
Amazon hands pay rise to 37,000 UK staff to take them above Living Wage October 2, 2018 Amazon is set to raise pay for UK staff above the Real Living Wage from the start of next month, expected to benefit around 37,000 workers. The retail giant – which recently hit a $1 trillion valuation – will pay London staff £10.50 per hour from 1 November and UK-wide staff £9.50 per hour. Read more: [...]