Gold tops euro to become central banks’ second favourite reserve asset June 11, 2025 Central banks now hold more gold than euros in the face of global trade tensions and volatile markets, according to a report produced by the European Central Bank (ECB), making it the world’s second largest reserve asset after the US dollar. Purchases of gold were twice as high in 2024 as the average seen over [...]
ECB cuts interest rates as UK ‘hesitation’ risks dealmaking strength June 5, 2025 Interest rates in the eurozone have been cut, taking the deposit facility rate to two per cent as fresh data suggested inflation came in just under the European Central Bank (ECB)’s two per cent target rate in May. The cut means the ECB’s rate now stands at two per cent, a halving of rates set two [...]
English Cricket bans transgender women from women’s game May 2, 2025 Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s and girls’ cricket matches, the sport’s governing body the ECB has announced. It comes after a recent Supreme Court ruling said only those whose biological sex is female can be called female. “Our regulations for recreational cricket have always aimed at ensuring that cricket [...]
Hundred sponsor KP Snacks signs deal with England cricket April 23, 2025 The England and Wales Cricket Board has today confirmed an expansion of its deal with KP Snacks, signing on with the main sponsor of The Hundred as an official partner of the senior international sides. The deal will see the Butterkist, McCoys and Pom-Bears maker, which began its association with The Hundred in 2021, appear [...]
Don’t be dazzled by the hype around The Hundred April 17, 2025 Ed Warner looks at the start of the County Championship season and whether an upcoming ECB review could see new influence from Hundred investors. The ice cream van was doing a steady trade, even at £4 for a Magnum. Made the twenty quid ticket feel especially good value. Around 2,500 people basked in the April [...]
Exclusive: India players from IPL close to Hundred cricket inclusion April 7, 2025 Senior figures in English cricket are confident that India will release current men’s internationals to play in the Hundred as soon as next year. India’s governing body the BCCI has not permitted their male stars to play in overseas T20 competitions, maintaining their exclusivity to the Indian Premier League. But with four of the eight [...]
Why are we all saving so much? March 30, 2025 It’s a question that has been puzzling economists for months. The worst of the cost-of-living crisis is, for most households, moving further into their rear-view mirror. The Bank of England’s rate setters have successfully – if belatedly – reined in the worst of the inflation that caused so many households to tighten their belts after [...]
Man who spearheaded £975m Hundred sale rewarded with new job by ECB February 27, 2025 Vikram Banerjee, the man who spearheaded the sale of eight minority stakes in the Hundred, has been rewarded with a promotion by the England and Wales Cricket Board. Banerjee will take up the role of managing director of the Hundred after the competition saw its eight franchises valued at £975m after a series of auctions [...]
Ambanis and Boehly: Who owns the Hundred teams after £975m sale? February 13, 2025 With the sale of Southern Brave confirmed on Wednesday, all eight of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s 49 per cent stakes in Hundred franchises have been sold. Sellers, counties and buyers will now enter into exclusive negotiations on the details but it is expected to run, mostly, without a hitch. The valuations placed on [...]
County cricket windfall from Hundred sale must be spent properly February 6, 2025 With every county cricket club set to profit to the tune of millions from the Hundred sale, the ECB must ensure the windfall is money well spent. I dreamt last night that DeepSeek bought my favourite football club. Trouble was that the stadium PA played Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur as the players took to the [...]