Prudential share price tumbles nine per cent on Jackson demerger plan January 28, 2021 The share price of insurer Prudential fell eight per cent today following news it would split off its US business through a demerger. Following pressure from activist investor Third Point, Prudential agreed to split off its US business Jackson through a demerger that could raise between $2.5 and $3bn in new equity. In response Prudential’s [...]
UK could avoid double-dip recession after resilient November January 28, 2021 The UK economy looks likely to avoid a double-dip recession thanks to a better-than-predicted performance in November 2020, according to the EY Item Club. The economy contracted just 2.6 per cent in November, despite the impact of a month-long England-wide lockdown and other restrictions across the UK. As a result, it is expected the [...]
Apple earns $100bn in single quarter January 27, 2021 Silicon valley giant Apple has earned more than $100bn in its first quarter of 2021, making it one of just a handful of firms to ever have done so. Apple’s revenue for the quarter ended December 26 rose 21 per cent to $111.44 billion. Earnings per share rose to $1.68 from $1.25. Analysts had expected [...]
Tesla achieves first-ever $10bn quarter January 27, 2021 Tesla has posted its first-ever $10bn quarter following a successful year that saw its founder, eccentric billionaire Elon Musk, become the world’s richest person. Tesla beat Wall Street estimates for fourth-quarter revenue after beating 2020 deliveries earlier this month on a steady rise in electric vehicle demand. The carmaker, led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, [...]
Facebook revenue beats analyst expectations and rises to £28bn in fourth quarter January 27, 2021 Revenue at Facebook rose to $26.44bn in the fourth quarter of 2020, up some $7bn on the same time last year. Facebook beat analysts’ estimates for quarterly revenue on today, powered by increased ad spending by businesses to capitalise on a holiday shopping season driven online by the pandemic. Total revenue, which comprised primarily of [...]
GardaWorld extends G4S offer for fifth time despite deal elsewhere January 27, 2021 Canadian firm GardaWorld has extended its takeover bid for G4S, even as the British company has already accepted US-based Allied Universal’s takeover offer. Yesterday Allied Universal extended the time for G4S shareholders to accept the deal, which has been agreed upon by the two companies, to 9 February. G4S said GardaWorld’s announcement does not change [...]
Ex-Barclays GC takes bank to court January 27, 2021 Judith Shepherd, a former general counsel at Barclays Capital, has filed a claim against her ex-employer in the High Court. Fox Williams, acting on behalf of Shepherd, lodged a claim in the Commercial Court on 22 January against Barclays PLC, Barclays Bank and Barclays Execution Services, The Lawyer reported. Law firm Simmons & Simmons has [...]
Reddit day traders out for blood as they tell GameStop short-sellers: ‘We want to see the loss porn’ January 27, 2021 The ongoing battle between Reddit day traders and corporate short-sellers over GameStop stock has heated up, with the Redditors vowing: “We want to see loss porn”. Shares of US videogame retailer GameStop jumped 146 per cent today, driving the price of the stock to a whopping $365 by midday. Today’s surge leaves GameStop stock up [...]
Regulators remind auditors to pay attention to Covid measures on corporate reporting January 27, 2021 The FCA and the FRC have issued a joint statement to remind auditors of the coronavirus-led rule changes around corporate reporting for listed companies. Now is the busiest time for auditors, when, under normal circumstances, many listed companies would publish their end of year results. But 2021 is proving especially challenging for auditors, with England’s [...]
White prevalence in senior roles drives ethnicity and gender gap at PwC January 27, 2021 PwC has for the first time published its Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnic background pay gaps, with the gap being driven by under representation of ethnic minorities in senior roles. PwC’s overall median ethnicity pay gap, including partners, decreased from 6.3 per cent in 2019 to 3.5 per cent in 2020. The firm’s median gender [...]
