UK registers record rise in coronavirus cases as Tier 4 comes into force December 20, 2020 The number of coronavirus cases jumped by the most since the start of the pandemic on Sunday, with 35,928 new instances of Covid recorded as of 9am. A further 326 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, the government said. It was down from the 534 recorded on [...]
Pound traders brace for tense week as Brexit talks continue December 20, 2020 Sterling traders are gearing themselves up for another nervy week amid fears that a collapse in Brexit talks could spark a sharp sell-off in the pound. Negotiations are ongoing, but noises from both camps suggest they remain stuck on fishing rights and competition policy. British health secretary Matt Hancock this morning told Sky News that [...]
US lawmakers poised to vote on $900bn stimulus package December 20, 2020 US lawmakers could vote on a $900bn (£665bn) stimulus package as early as today after Republicans and Democrats reportedly reached a compromise on Federal Reserve lending programmes. If Congress fails to act, much of the support aimed at the unemployed so far will expire. Other stimulus programmes are due to come to an end before [...]
Publish which firms get furlough cash, government told December 20, 2020 The government should publish a list of companies that have received furlough money to increase transparency around the scheme, amid fears of waste and fraud, parliament’s spending watchdog has said. The cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also said that chancellor Rishi Sunak’s repeated extensions to the scheme at short notice caused uncertainty that could have [...]
Pound falls back from recent high amid Brexit doubts December 18, 2020 The pound has fallen back from a more than two-year high after post-Brexit trade talks between the UK and EU ran into trouble at a crucial juncture. Negotiations are now in a “serious situation,” according to a Downing Street spokesperson last night. They urged the EU to change its position “substantially”. In a separate call [...]
FCA cancels £205,000 of bonuses after LCF scandal report December 17, 2020 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has cancelled £205,000 worth of executive bonuses after a damning report found the watchdog had failed to properly regulate a collapsed firm. But FCA employees implicated in the report are now facing calls to pay back bonuses for previous years after an investigation found “significant gaps and weaknesses” in the [...]
FCA failed to properly regulate London Capital & Finance, inquiry finds December 17, 2020 The UK’s financial watchdog did not effectively supervise and regulate mini-bond scandal company London Capital & Finance (LCF) before it collapsed last year, an independent investigation has found. The inquiry singles out Andrew Bailey, who was the Financial Conduct Authority’s boss at the time, and who is now Governor of the Bank of England. LCF [...]
Bank of England holds rates and says vaccines ‘reduce risks’ to economy December 17, 2020 The Bank of England has left interest rates on hold at 0.1 per cent and its bond-buying programme at £895bn, saying the arrival of vaccines is likely to boost the economy next year but warning new restrictions will weigh on growth in the winter. It comes after the Bank expanded its quantitative easing programme by [...]
FTSE 100 slips but global markets hit fresh highs on vaccines and stimulus December 17, 2020 The FTSE 100 slipped, weighed down by a rising pound, as global markets hit a new all-time high amid optimism about vaccines and fiscal and monetary stimulus. Despite the rise in global stocks, the FTSE 100 lagged behind as the pound rose 0.8 per cent to $1.360, a 32-month high. A higher pound weighs on [...]
Pound hits 31-month high on Brexit hopes and dollar weakness December 17, 2020 The pound has shot up to its highest level since early 2018, with investors hoping the UK will soon sign a post-Brexit trade deal and the dollar falling sharply. Sterling was last up 0.6 per cent at $1.358, a 31-month high. It was 0.3 per cent higher against the euro at €1.111. The British government [...]
