Imperial Brands on track after solid first half May 18, 2021 Tobacco giant Imperial Brands today said that it was on track to hit its full year targets after it increased its revenue in the first half of the year. The FTSE 100 firm said that revenue was up 3.5 per cent at the half year at $15.6bn, driven by a 3.2 per cent in tobacco [...]
Single Covid-19 jab produces antibodies in 96 per cent of people May 18, 2021 Over 96 per cent of people who get a single dose of the Covid-19 vaccines made by Astrazeneca or Pfizer develop antibodies, a new study has shown. The figure rises to 99 per cent when a second shot has been administered, the trial, which was carried out by scientists at University College London, found. The [...]
Homeserve revenue jumps on strong North American performance May 18, 2021 Home repair firm Homeserve said that its revenue climbed 15 per cent last year, largely due to an exceptional performance in its North American division. The FTSE 250 firm said that revenue jumped to £1.3bn, up from £1.13bn the prior year. In its American business, which now has 4.7m customers, revenue jumped over a fifth [...]
Average house prices hit new record but London prices stay still May 17, 2021 The recent surge in house prices shows no signs of slowing down, with May seeing a new national record for the price of property coming to market. According to Rightmove’s House Price Index, the cost of the average property rose 1.8 per cent this month, to £333,564. The boom in prices is largely driven areas [...]
Israel destroys Gaza tower block housing foreign media May 15, 2021 A tower block in Gaza housing media groups including the Associated Press and Al Jazeera has been destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. The US media organisation said that it had been warned of the impending strike and given an hour to evacuate the building. In a statement, the Israeli military said that the block contained [...]
Santander UK customers hit by technical problems May 15, 2021 Santander customers in the UK are currently unable to withdraw money from the Spanish bank’s cash machines or access online services due to a technical problem. The lender, which has around 14m customers in Britain, said that the issue was affecting branch, telephone, online app and card services. “We’re aware of a technical issue affecting [...]
Easyjet hires headhunters to steer search for new chairman May 15, 2021 Easyjet has hired headhunters to begin the search for the successor to chairman John Barton, who will step down next year. Sky News reported that the budget carrier had hired Lygon Group to conduct the search. Barton, who will step down next May after a full nine year term as the airline’s carrier, has been [...]
‘Overly cautious’ travel rules risk 1.5m jobs, airport bosses say May 15, 2021 The bosses of the UK’s airports have today written to Boris Johnson to urge him to speed up the reopening of international travel. In an open letter, they said that the UK’s “overly cautious” approach to letting people travel again could put 1.5m jobs in aviation and travel at risk. “Naturally airports understand the Government’s [...]
Ministers set to reveal radical rail shake-up May 15, 2021 Ministers are set to reveal the biggest overhaul of the UK’s rail system in three decades, with reforms including the introduction of flexible season tickets and pay-as-you-go travel across the network. The coming week will see the publication of a long-awaited white paper on the future of the country’s rail network, the Times reported. Chief [...]
Waterloo & City Tube line to reopen from 21 June May 15, 2021 The Waterloo & City line will reopen on 21 June, Transport for London (TfL) confirmed today, having been shut since the first coronavirus lockdown. The underground line, which connects the commuter hub at Waterloo with the Square Mile, is a vital artery for many who commute into the office. Upon reopening, the Waterloo & City [...]