UK set to face ‘sluggish’ growth in the face of sticky inflation and Bank of England interest rate hikes
Ed Warner: Forget WrestleMania, Super Bowl or the Olympics – London mayor should seek hefty portfolio of sporting events
Starling Bank gives shares to employees as it raises £60m February 10, 2020 Challenger bank Starling today said it will hand out shares to all 800 employees after raising £60m to boost its expansion plans. The cash injection, led by existing investors Merian Global Investors and JTC, brings the total raised by Starling to £323m and follows two funding rounds of £105m last year. The digital bank said [...]
MWC 2020: Sony becomes latest tech firm to pull out due to coronavirus February 10, 2020 Sony today said it will withdraw from the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 in Barcelona later this month due to fears over coronavirus, dealing a fresh blow to the bumper tech convention. MWC, which attracts more than 100,000 visitors, is due to take place between 24 and 27 February, but has been hampered by a [...]
UK tech firms suffer worst quarter in seven years as uncertainty weighs February 10, 2020 The UK’s thriving tech sector suffered its worst quarter since 2012 at the end of last year as political uncertainty took its toll on growth. Staff hiring declined and new business activity flatlined in the final three months of 2019, according to figures published today by KPMG. UK tech firms reported that overall business was [...]
Joe Media loss deepens as parent company starts layoffs February 9, 2020 Digital publisher Joe Media has posted a widening loss in its latest full-year accounts, weeks after its parent company announced job cuts in a bid to turn around its ailing finances. The news site, which also runs the popular House of Rugby podcast, reported a loss of £1.7m in 2018, compared to a £1.6m loss [...]
Premier League plots launch of Netflix-style streaming service February 9, 2020 The Premier League is plotting the launch of a Netflix-style streaming platform in a bid to boost revenue from TV rights in overseas markets. Richard Masters, the Premier League’s new chief executive, has confirmed that plans to set up a direct to consumer offering are already underway. The service, which would allow viewers in some [...]
Campaign against Huawei is a ‘witch hunt’, says Chinese ambassador February 9, 2020 Top Tory politicians trying to reverse the decision to allow tech giant Huawei to help build Britain’s 5G networks are carrying out a “witch hunt”, China’s ambassador to the UK has said. Senior Conservatives, including four former Cabinet ministers, have written to Tory MPs urging them to reconsider the government’s decision on Huawei, instead calling [...]
WH Smith calls on landlords to overhaul rent payment February 9, 2020 WH Smith is said to be urging its landlords to push back rent payment deadlines as the retailer looks to cash in on high street troubles. The stationery chain is set to push landlords to switch from receiving payment in advance to receiving it in arrears, the Sunday Times reported. The move, which would come [...]
William Hill ‘nears media deal’ with CBS Sports amid US expansion plan February 9, 2020 Betting giant William Hill is said to be close to signing a media deal with a US partner as it looks to tap into the American market. The bookmaker has struck up talks with media firm CBS Sports and is in the final stage of negotiations, the Sunday Times reported, adding that an announcement was [...]
UK artists pull in record £87m in overseas music royalties February 7, 2020 British artists pulled in a record-breaking £86.7m in overseas royalties last year as the UK boosted its status as a global music powerhouse. The figure hit a record high in 2019 and is up 22 per cent on the total reached in 2018, according to new figures from licensing body PPL. The surge was driven [...]
New York Times shares hit record high as it adds 1m digital subscribers February 6, 2020 Shares in the New York Times jumped to a 15-year high today after the company said it gained more than 1m digital subscribers in 2019. The newspaper group posted operating profit of $78m (£60m) in the fourth quarter, up from $74.7m in the same period last year. Revenue also ticked up 1.1 per cent over [...]