UK to set out EU free trade deal objectives next month, says Brexit secretary January 26, 2020 Britain will outline more details about its objectives for a free trade deal with the European Union next month after leaving the bloc on Friday, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said. “We are going to publish our objectives for the negotiation… in due course after the 31st,” he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr this morning. Barclay [...]
FTSE 100 leaps after WHO eases coronavirus fears January 24, 2020 The FTSE 100 stormed ahead today, more than clawing back the losses incurred yesterday as investors’ fears over the spread of the coronavirus mounted. The World Health Organisation yesterday stopped short of declaring the outbreak in China an emergency for the rest of the world. European equities gained in response today, before posting further jumps [...]
Barclays investment bankers face ‘double-digit’ cut to bonus pool January 24, 2020 Barclays investment bankers are reportedly facing a double-digit fall in their bonus pool for 2019, as chief executive Jes Stanley pushes for the lender to meet profitability targets amid growing pressure from an activist investor. Barclays Investment Bank reported a strong third-quarter performance with a 41 per cent jump in net profit. But the division’s [...]
Finablr shares plunge after owner pledges stock as collateral for Travelex debt January 24, 2020 Shares in payments firm Finablr plunged to a record low today after its owner pledged more than half the company’s stock as security for debts incurred buying foreign exchange company Travelex. In an update to the stock exchange this morning, Finablr disclosed that majority owner B. R. Shetty had pledged 392.2 million shares, over 56 [...]
Met Police to begin using facial recognition cameras in London January 24, 2020 The Metropolitan Police has announced that it will use live facial recognition cameras operationally in London for the first time. Use of the cameras will be intelligence-led, the Met said, with a bespoke watch list of suspects — predominantly those wanted for serious and violent offences — drawn up for each deployment. The cameras are [...]
UK PMI: Economy climbs to 16-month high, leaving rate cut less likely January 24, 2020 The UK economy has returned to growth in January, according to a flash Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) reading, hitting a 16-month high as the Bank of England weighs up whether or not to cut UK interest rates. The flash IHS Markit / CIPS composite PMI reading for the UK hit 52.4 in January, up from [...]
Tesco ditches plastic wrap on multipack tins January 24, 2020 Tesco is set to remove all plastic wrapping from its multipack tins in a bid to cut down on waste, a step it says will remove 350 tonnes of plastic per year from the environment. The supermarket giant has teamed up with brands including Heinz and Green giant to replace single-use plastic wrap on multipacks [...]
FCA appoints interim chief executive to replace Andrew Bailey January 24, 2020 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced that Christopher Woolard will take over as interim chief executive of the regulator after current boss Andrew Bailey leaves to become governor of the Bank of England (BoE). Woolard, who is currently the FCA’s executive director of strategy and competition, will take over after Bailey’s departure in March, [...]
Incoming BoE head Andrew Bailey to be grilled by LCF mini-bond investigation January 23, 2020 Incoming Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey will be interviewed about his oversight of collapsed investment firm London Capital and Finance (LCF), an independent investigation said today. LCF collapsed in January 2019, leaving 11,600 investors who bought its mini-bonds facing collective losses of up to £237m. While LCF itself and its marketing material was regulated [...]
Shares in AI specialist Blue Prism surge after revenue jumps January 23, 2020 Shares in Blue Prism, a London-based robotic automation specialist, jumped over 20 per cent today after the company reported an 83 per cent increase in revenue. Blue Prism’s revenue for the 12 months ending 31 October rose to £101m, up from £55.2m in 2019, with monthly recurring revenue (MRR) coming in ahead of expectations. The [...]
