UK dividends jump to first quarter record due to huge one-off payouts April 15, 2019 UK dividends hit record highs in the first three months of the year thanks to huge one-off special payouts from some companies, new analysis has shown. Read more: Ranked: The best-performing assets of 2019 so far Yet underlying growth was weaker than expected from larger and smaller companies alike as a slowing global economy acted [...]
Major companies could be exempt from joint audit rules in competition watchdog report April 14, 2019 The UK’s competition watchdog reportedly could exclude some major companies from a new rule that would require many business to appoint joint auditors. Sky News reported that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is set to publish its long awaited report into the audit sector this week. According to the report, the CMA has been [...]
FTSE 100 ends week strong with biggest gain in two months April 6, 2019 The FTSE 100 ended the week strongly as it gained 0.61 per cent during Friday's session and saw its biggest weekly increase for two months. The index continued its six-month high, outshining its European peers despite the on-going Brexit saga. Optimism grew early on as US President Donald Trump said a deal to end the US-China [...]
Amazon tops Linkedin list of top 10 companies to work for April 3, 2019 A list of the top 10 companies that are seen as most attractive for workers released by Linkedin this morning revealed a varied mix of preferences for job hunters in the UK. Amazon, which recently raised wages after coming under criticism for employment practices and warehouse conditions, took the number one spot, with firms such as [...]
Petrofac workers to strike at BP oil rigs after disagreement over paid leave March 20, 2019 Union bosses have said Petrofac workers plan to walk out of all BP’s North Sea oil rigs amid a dispute over leave. Unite members had demanded three weeks paid leave, but today voted for industrial action at the platforms after only being offered two. Read more: Petrofac faces potential £400m lawsuit following bribery revelations Alternatively [...]
Norwegian $1 trillion wealth fund to drop oil and gas investments March 8, 2019 Norway’s sovereign wealth fund will drop oil and gas exploration companies from its benchmark index, the country’s finance minister announced today. The move aims to reduce risk to the $1 trillion fund, which is the largest in the world, from a “permanent oil price decline”. Read more: Norwegian wealth fund buys up old Amazon HQ [...]
Blockchain oil firm taps former JP Morgan director as new chief February 13, 2019 A firm that wants to reinvent commodities trading by using blockchain technology has hired a former energy trader from JP Morgan and Mercuria as its next chief executive. Vakt, which aims to eliminate paper-based trading and secure audit processes by putting it on the blockchain, has been backed by major oil firms such as Shell, Chevron [...]
BP shares rise as oil giant more than doubles profit in bumper 2018 February 5, 2019 Oil major BP’s profit more than doubled in 2018, its fourth-quarter financial results showed today, sending shares up five per cent to 545.7p in early trading. The figures BP grew profit to $9.383bn (£7.19bn) in profit attributable to shareholders for the full year, up from $3.389bn in 2017. Return on average capital was 11.2 per [...]
BP supports shareholder effort for more transparency on climate change February 1, 2019 Energy giant BP will get behind a shareholder effort which would require it to work towards the goals of the Paris climate change agreement. The oil major will describe how its strategy is consistent with the climate change targets, set out in 2015, it said. Read more: Oil giant Shell reveals plans to link executives’ pay [...]
UK dividends hit record-breaking high in 2018 January 21, 2019 UK dividend payments rose to a record £99.8bn last year driven by rising profits and better than expected special dividends. British American Tobacco accounted for almost one fifth of the increase in UK dividends as it paid out an additional £900m over the course of 2018, entering the UK top five for the first time, according [...]