FCA tells asset managers to gear up for the end of Libor February 27, 2020 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has written to asset managers to tell them to get ready for the end of Libor. Libor is being phased out after banks were fined billions for trying to manipulate it. The benchmark, used for pricing trillions of dollars of swaps, futures and loans, is set to end at the [...]
IR35: Government confirms ‘light touch’ tax rollout February 27, 2020 People will not have to pay penalties for IR35 errors in the first year of the tax changes, as the government confirmed a “light touch” approach today. The government has published its review into the tax changes after announcing it would look into IR35 following concerns from business. HMRC said: “Customers will not have to [...]
Provident Financial increases dividend as it posts a rise in profit February 27, 2020 Provident Financial has proposed a 60 per cent increase in its final dividend has it posted a rise in profit. The figures Group profit before tax rose 1.6 per cent to £162.2m Basic earnings per share increased 22 per cent to 33.3p, while adjusted EPS fell 2.9 per cent from 48.7p to 47.3p. Provident’s division [...]
St James’s Place posts five per cent profit fall as inflows slow February 27, 2020 Wealth manager St James’s Place posts a fall in full-year operating profit after the pace of inflows of client cash slowed. The figures St James’s Place reported operating profit of £952m, a fall from the £1bn posted in 2018. This was, in part, due to a fall in new business from £852.7m in 2018 to [...]
FTSE 100 steadies after two days of steep losses February 26, 2020 The FTSE 100 steadied after dropping to a 13-month low earlier in the day after two days of heavy losses prompted by growing fears over a coronavirus pandemic. London’s blue-chip stock index fell 1.6 per cent to below 7,000 points to 6,903, its lowest point since February 2019, before recovering 0.1 per cent. The FTSE [...]
Coronavirus: Ireland v Italy Six Nations match postponed due to outbreak in Italy February 26, 2020 The Ireland v Italy men’s and women’s Six Nations games scheduled for Dublin next weekend have been postponed because of the coronavirus. Irish health minister Simon Harris said last night that the men’s Six Nations game scheduled for 7 March should not go ahead. The women’s game scheduled for the following day and the under-20 [...]
Covid-19: UK should expect more coronavirus cases, says Matt Hancock as Brazil and Greece confirm positive tests February 26, 2020 The health secretary today told the UK to expect more coronavirus cases as the number of Covid-19 infections spiked in South Korea, while Brazil and Greece confirmed their first cases. In a statement to the House of Commons Matt Hancock said that while only 13 people have tested positive for Covid-19, the UK should expect [...]
Hong Kong is giving $1,200 to residents to help boost its economy February 26, 2020 Hong Kong is set to hand out a cash gift to permanent residents in a bid to boost spending in its recession-hit economy. As part of the annual budget, $10,000 Hong Kong dollars ($1,200, £985) will be given to seven million people over the age of 18. The economy has taken a huge hit after [...]
Yorkshire Tea shocked by backlash to Rishi Sunak photo February 26, 2020 Yorkshire Tea urged social media users to “be kind” after the company became embroiled in a row involving the Chancellor. Last week Chancellor Rishi Sunak posted a picture of him making a huge round of tea for his staff. He was pictured holding a bumper pack of 1,040 tea bags. The tweet led to a [...]
Blackstone to buy UK student housing group IQ from Goldman Sachs for £4.7bn February 26, 2020 Blackstone has agreed to buy the British student housing company IQ from Goldman Sachs in a £4.7bn deal. IQ Student Accommodations owns and operates 67 sites in 27 towns and cities in the UK. It is one of the leading providers of private purpose-built student accommodation, with 84 per cent of its portfolio value in [...]
