FTSE 100 and sterling climb on Brexit delay possibility and US-China trade tensions easing December 12, 2018 The FTSE 100 is up one per cent today despite blue-on-blue infighting in the Tory party seeing Prime Minister Theresa May face a threat of a no confidence vote this evening. Conservatives will vote in a secret ballot tonight on whether they wish May to remain leader or whether she should stand down, after she [...]
Sterling volatile ahead of no confidence vote on Theresa May December 12, 2018 The pound has been on a rollercoaster ride this morning as it reacts to a series of political shocks. Reports that the Conservative party were set to trigger a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May – confirmed this morning – sent the pound to a fresh 20-month low against the dollar yesterday. [...]
Musk to retire chairman role at Tesla in three years after interview backlash December 12, 2018 Tesla billionaire Elon Musk has said he intends to retire the role of chairman at the electric car manufacturer in three years time, having only stepped down from the role several weeks earlier. Tweeting in the aftermath of his conversation with CBS' 60 Minutes, Musk said: "Chairman is an honorific, not executive role, which means [...]
Theresa May vows to fight no confidence vote, warning leadership contest risks Brexit December 12, 2018 Theresa May has vowed to fight today’s no confidence vote “with everything I’ve got”, as she warned that a change of leadership would delay or even cancel Brexit. Addressing media outside Downing Street this morning after Sir Graham Brady of the 1922 Committee confirmed the 48-letter threshold for a no confidence vote has been reached, [...]
Fire May, or her zombie deal will come back to haunt us all December 12, 2018 The withdrawal agreement is dead. Like that famous Norwegian Blue parrot of Monty Python legend, it has simply ceased to be. Its death was not achieved by a humiliating massive vote against it, but, in that cack-handed way only Theresa May manages to finesse, by it never facing a vote at all. It died through lack [...]
The City is braced for a hard Brexit – why aren’t MPs? December 11, 2018 Had things worked out differently we could have woken up this morning to news that MPs voted last night in favour of Theresa May's withdrawal agreement. The transition period was secured, talks would move on to the future trade deal and businesses would breath a mighty sigh of relief. Instead, we rise to find another [...]
China reduces tariffs on US cars to 15 per cent amid signs trade war is softening December 11, 2018 China has agreed to reduce tariffs on US cars from 40 per cent to 15 per cent. Shares in US car firms jumped slightly on immediate reaction to the news. Shares in General Motors were up 2.8 per cent, while Tesla was up 0.7 per cent and Ford 0.65 per cent. Meanwhile, US markets were up slightly [...]
More than half of Londoners would vote for Sadiq Khan in 2020 according to a Yougov survey December 11, 2018 More than half of Londoners would vote for Sadiq Khan in the 2020 mayoral election, according to a new survey, despite concerns over crime rates and affordable housing. A total of 55 per cent of respondents to a Yougov survey said they would vote for the incumbent Labour mayor in the first round of the election, [...]
Sadiq Khan blasts government for ‘forcing London to pay twice’ for Crossrail delay December 11, 2018 Transport for London (TfL) has admitted its fare income will be £2.1bn lower than expected as it battles a "perfect storm" of pressures on its finances. In its business plan for 2019-20 to 2023-24, TfL said a “subdued” economy and a £700m reduction in central government funding for challenges facing the organisation. It said fare revenue [...]
Chancellor Philip Hammond rules out relaxing regulations to boost finance after Brexit December 11, 2018 London will remain a global financial centre after Brexit, Chancellor Philip Hammond said today as he ruled out relaxing financial regulation. Hammond said Britain will have a safe, transparent and predictable regulation regime, which will be agile enough to cope with changes in business models, Reuters reported. “I reject the idea that laxer regulation makes a [...]