UK tech optimism hits seven-year high on recovery hopes April 19, 2021 UK tech companies are now more optimistic about their short-term growth prospects than at any time over the last seven years, according to new figures published today. Firms in the burgeoning British tech sector reported strong confidence that business activity will bounce back strongly after the latest national lockdown and as Brexit-related uncertainty among clients [...]
Cyber firm Darktrace confirms plans for London float in early May April 19, 2021 UK cybersecurity company Darktrace today confirmed it will float on the London Stock Exchange in the coming weeks as it looks to build on a successful pandemic year. The firm’s offer price will be determined following a book-building process, with the listing expected to take place early next month. The company is understood to be [...]
Priti Patel warns Facebook’s encryption plans could harm child safety April 19, 2021 Facebook’s plans to roll out end-to-end encryption across its messaging platforms could mark a setback for efforts to protect children from online abuse, the home secretary is set to warn. The social media giant has unveiled plans to extend encryption — which means only the sender and recipient can view messages —— to Messenger and [...]
UK banks launch new low-deposit mortgage scheme April 19, 2021 High street banks will today begin offering mortgages with a deposit of just five per cent under a new government-backed scheme. The scheme, first announced in the Budget, is designed to make home ownership more affordable for first-time buyers. Borrowers will be able to secure a mortgage with just a five per cent deposit on [...]
Fan fury as JP Morgan and biggest football clubs team up on European Super League April 19, 2021 The football world has been plunged into chaos after it was announced that six English football teams will join a new breakaway European Super League in what would be the biggest shake-up of the game in recent years. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham are among the clubs that are set to [...]
UK shared office space providers ramped up growth before pandemic April 19, 2021 The UK’s largest shared office space providers grew the value of their property portfolios before the coronavirus pandemic sparked a shift to home working. The serviced office space sector grew its overall property value to £18.9bn in the 2019/2020 financial year, up six per cent on the previous 12 months. The figures highlight the growing [...]
Bitcoin slumps as cryptocurrency sheds record gains April 18, 2021 Bitcoin fell as much as 14 per cent today, shedding most of the volatile cryptocurrency’s gains over the last year. The digital asset has surged so far this year as it begins to gain mainstream acceptance as an investment and as a form of payment. But it dropped as much as 15 per cent to [...]
Billionaire Issa brothers snap up fast food chain Leon April 18, 2021 The billionaire brothers behind Asda have snapped up British fast food chain Leon in a deal worth a reported £100m. Mohsin and Zuber Issa, who have agreed a £6.8bn deal to buy Asda, are now swooping on the London-based food chain through their petrol station empire EG Group. The transaction, which includes 42 company-owned restaurants [...]
Amanda Staveley launches appeal over Barclays court defeat April 18, 2021 Financier Amanda Staveley has launched an appeal after losing her lawsuit against Barclays over the behaviour of the bank’s bosses negotiating investment deals. In a high-profile trial Staveley sued the lender over claims it gave her private equity firm PCP Capital Partners less favourable treatment than other parties in the emergency £7.3bn fundraising that saved [...]
Asda’s billionaire owners close in on Caffe Nero takeover April 18, 2021 The billionaire brothers behind Asda are said to be closing in on a takeover deal for Caffe Nero after buying up the ailing coffee chain’s debts. Mohsin and Zuber Issa have bought roughly £140m of loans from Swiss private equity firm Partners Group via investment bank Morgan Stanley, the Sunday Telegraph reported. The deal puts [...]
