Premier League testing firm snaps up Oxford University Covid-19 test business October 30, 2020 The company behind the Premier League and Heathrow testing programmes has acquired a rapid Covid-19 testing business spun out of Oxford University. Biotech firm Prenetics today said it has acquired exclusive global rights to Oxsed, which has developed a low-cost coronavirus test that delivers results in 15 to 30 minutes. The companies are now targeting [...]
Amazon quarterly sales near $100bn amid online shopping boom October 29, 2020 Amazon has continued its bumper year of trading, posting quarterly sales of nearly $100bn (£77.4bn) as the pandemic sparked a surge in demand for online shopping. The ecommerce giant said net sales had increased 37 per cent year on year to hit $96.1bn in the three months to the end of September. Net profit hit [...]
Facebook revenue jumps as pandemic drives up traffic October 29, 2020 Facebook today posted better-than-expected revenue for the third quarter as higher user numbers during the coronavirus pandemic helped drive up revenue. The social media platform posted revenue of $21.5bn (£16.6bn) in the three-month period, up from $17.7bn last year. Net income rose from $6.1bn to $7.8bn. The bulk of the revenue was generated by advertising [...]
Google parent Alphabet returns to growth as advertisers flock back October 29, 2020 Google parent company Alphabet reported a return to growth in the third quarter as advertisers flocked back in their droves after a coronavirus-induced slump. The tech giant, which also owns Amazon, reported revenue of $46.2bn (£35.7bn) in the three months to the end of September, up 14 per cent on the same period last year. [...]
Channel 4 advertising bounces back amid privatisation threat October 29, 2020 Channel 4 today said its advertising revenue had rebounded strongly from a coronavirus-induced slump as it shrugged off renewed threats of privatisation. Earlier this month media minister John Whittingdale hinted that the government was mulling a sale of Channel 4, adding that its business model was under strain and may not be sustainable. But the [...]
BBC bans ‘virtue signalling’ as it cracks down on stars’ social media use October 29, 2020 The BBC has banned presenters from “virtue signalling” on social media as part of tough new rules on how its top talent maintains impartiality online. As part of a sweeping overhaul unveiled today, BBC stars have been told not to express personal opinions on public policy, politics or controversial subjects. The overhaul marks a major [...]
Meghan Markle wins court bid to delay Mail on Sunday privacy trial October 29, 2020 Meghan Markle has won her bid to have her privacy case against the Mail on Sunday pushed back until next autumn after citing confidential reasons. The Duchess of Sussex is suing parent company Associated Newspapers over articles in the Mail on Sunday that published parts of a letter she sent to her father in 2018. [...]
EU to ban tech firms from promoting their own services in new crackdown October 29, 2020 Tech giants will be banned from unfairly promoting their own services and will have to do more to crack down on harmful content under new rules being prepared by the EU. Competition chief Margrethe Vestager today proposed a raft of tough new laws and promised greater powers for enforcement bodies in a bid to tackle [...]
Tech earnings: What to look out for in a bumper day of Silicon Valley results October 29, 2020 All eyes will be on Silicon Valley tonight as the tech giants prepare to unveil their earnings for the third quarter. Google owner Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Twitter are all set to update investors on their trading during a turbulent period dominated by the coronavirus crisis. Earnings season for the so-called FAANG companies kicked [...]
The City View: Michael Hewson on how markets could react to the US election October 29, 2020 In this episode Christian is joined by CMC Markets’ chief market analyst Michael Hewson, who gives his take on the state of the US economy and how markets could respond to either a Biden victory or four more years of Donald Trump. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Michael looks at the current health of [...]