Oil prices top $40 for first time in three months ahead of Opec meeting June 3, 2020 Global oil prices touched $40 per barrel for the first time since March today amid hopes that producer cartel Opec would extend its record production cuts. Having reached the $40 mark earlier this morning, global standard Brent crude slipped back to $39.27 as midday approached. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate also gained to $36.83, approaching [...]
The City View: ‘Cowardly business chiefs must speak up against the lockdown’ – Luke Johnson June 3, 2020 In this episode Christian is joined by entrepreneur and investor Luke Johnson, a high-profile critic of the government’s lockdown policy. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Johnson says that many business leaders agree with his position in private, but are too afraid to voice their own concerns publicly. He says the lockdown is “dystopian” – [...]
Bailey calls for key workers to be exempt from congestion charge June 2, 2020 Conservative mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey has called for key workers to be exempt from paying the newly reinstated London congestion charge. In a statement, Bailey said that the measure would be a “fair way” of rewarding the capital’s key workers, many of whom may be driving to avoid public transport during the current crisis. He [...]
Government mulls relaxing 14-day quarantine measures June 2, 2020 The government is considering relaxing its blanket quarantine measures for incoming travellers to the UK, it was reported today. Under the current proposals, all those who enter the UK after 8 June will have to quarantine for 14 days at a fixed location. In England, there will be random spot checks and police will be [...]
Easyjet to resume flights on 75 per cent of routes in August June 2, 2020 Easyjet has this afternoon announced that it will resume flying to 75 per cent of its network in August, though it will operate fewer daily services than in a normal summer season. The low-cost carrier is due to begin flying to some locations from 15 June as it seeks to begin its comeback from the [...]
Oil prices at three-month highs ahead of Opec meeting June 2, 2020 Oil prices closed in on three-month highs this afternoon amid expectations that major producers would agree to extend record production cuts at this week’s Opec meeting. The oil producer cartel and allies including Russia are now set to meet on 4 June to discuss maintaining the curbs, which amount to 9.7m barrels per day. As [...]
UK statistics watchdog hits out at government use of coronavirus testing data June 2, 2020 The head of the UK’s statistics authority has written to health secretary Matt Hancock criticising the government’s use of data related to its coronavirus testing programme. In an open letter, the UK Statistics Authority chairman Sir David Norgrove said that the way the data was being analysed and presented had “limited value”. He wrote: “The [...]
Ofgem unveils £350m scheme to support struggling energy suppliers June 2, 2020 Ofgem has today unveiled a £350m scheme to support struggling energy suppliers which do not possess an investment grade credit rating. As a result of the coronavirus crisis, many households have defaulted on the payment of energy bills, which has heaped pressure of electricity and gas suppliers. In an open letter, Ofgem chief executive Jonathan [...]
McDonald’s to open 22 restaurants for delivery this morning June 2, 2020 McDonald’s will from 11 o’clock this morning reopen 168 drive-thru restaurants across the country, as well as a further 22 for food delivery. Although the drive-thru reopenings are taking place all over the UK as part of McDonald’s plans to reopen all 1,019 of its restaurants by 4 June, the 18 of the 22 restaurants [...]
Donald Trump tells state governors to crack down on protests June 1, 2020 US president Donald Trump on Monday told state governors to crack down on growing protests across the country against the treatment of African-Americans by police forces. Speaking to governors on a private call, Trump reportedly told them that they “have to dominate” the protestors. He said: “If you don’t dominate, you’re wasting your time – [...]
