LSE chief executive says ‘blank cheque’ companies could boost post-Brexit London January 29, 2021 London Stock Exchange Chief Executive David Schwimmer said today: “Britain should replicate New York’s success in listing “blank cheque” companies to boost the City of London’s attractiveness as a global financial centre after Brexit.” “SPACs clearly have taken off in the U.S. markets. There is increasing curiosity and potential interest in seeing more of them [...]
It’s game over for Alphabet’s Loon balloon broadband adventure January 22, 2021 Alphabet, the parent company of Google, said last night it will shut down its high-altitude broadband connectivity venture Loon. The announcement is at odds with its recent successful endeavours. Loon raised $125m from a SoftBank unit in 2019, and in April 2020 it launched the first balloons to provide commercial connectivity service to Kenyans following [...]
Salaries for those who kept their jobs through pandemic rose in 2020, says Reed January 18, 2021 Salaries for those who kept their jobs through pandemic rose in 2020, says Reed
250,000 UK small businesses may fail in 2021 unless they get help to survive lockdown January 11, 2021 With the new year starting in lockdown, at least 250,000 UK small businesses could fail in 2021 without further help, a new study warns. The Small Business Index (SBI) from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows confidence is at its second lowest ebb in the report’s ten-year history. The London Small Business Index stands [...]
Gove expects Brexit delays at the border with France and Ireland to worsen January 8, 2021 Gove expects Brexit delays at the border with France and Ireland to worsen
Biden names national security official to oversee global health security January 8, 2021 President-elect Joe Biden plans to add a senior national security official to oversee global health security. This government position was cut by the Trump administration in 2018, two years prior to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Biden’s transition team in a statement released today said it would hire former White House national security official [...]
Post-Christmas lockdown for Northern Ireland December 18, 2020 Northern Ireland will enter a strict six-week lockdown from Boxing Day. Health Minister Robin Swann said the lockdown is “in large part” the same as “the sustained lockdown” of last March. Non-essential shops will close after Christmas Eve, and close-contact services such as hairdressers and beauticians will have to shut. Pubs, cafés and restaurants will [...]
Macron promises not to ‘have cake and eat it’ in Brexit negotiations December 11, 2020 French President Emmanuel Macron has insisted that the EU is not “asking to have its cake and eat it” in Brexit negotiations on fishing rights. Responding to a question on the European Commission contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit this morning, Macron said “I don’t want to have my cake and eat it too. No, [...]
Test and Trace to scrap 14-day isolation period for Covid contacts December 11, 2020 People who have been in contact with someone who tested positive with coronavirus will be given daily Covid tests instead of having to isolate for a fortnight under new government plans. The Test and Trace pilot scheme is being trialled in several schools, businesses and universities across the country. Close contacts of people with Covid-19 [...]
Revolut expands business offering with digital payments service December 4, 2020 Challenger bank Revolut is bolstering its business offering as it moves into merchant acquiring allowing businesses to accept online card payments. Revolut’s chief executive Nik Storonsky announced, at this year’s Web Summit, that its business segment had launched an acquiring solution, which will allow businesses in 13 European countries to accept card payments online directly [...]