Boots hikes profit forecasts as pharmacy sales offset high street slump March 31, 2021 The US owner of Boots today hiked its profit forecasts for the full year as higher pharmacy sales helped offset lower footfall during lockdown. Walgreen Boots Alliance posted an 8.4 per cent increase in profit to $1bn (£725m) in the second quarter, driven by a rise in comparable pharmacy sales in the US. Revenue for [...]
US regulatory scrutiny grows as Archegos collapse sparks losses March 30, 2021 US regulatory scrutiny mounted today as Wall Street began to count the cost of losses sparked by the collapse of hedge fund Archegos Capital Management. Shares in Credit Suisse fell a further three per cent, taking total losses to 16 per cent for the week, on fears about the losses linked to Archegos’ meltdown. The [...]
Greensill: What is the David Cameron lobbying row all about? March 30, 2021 Labour is calling for an inquiry amid reports former Prime Minister David Cameron used his contacts to lobby for support for Greensill Capital through the government’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility. Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng insists Cameron “did absolutely nothing wrong” in his dealings, adding that “everything was above board” with the former prime minister’s connection [...]
NHS hits back in legal row over £23m data deal with Palantir March 30, 2021 The NHS has been thrown into a row with campaigners amid a legal row over a £23m deal with secretive US tech giant Palantir to process sensitive health data. Palantir first began working with the NHS in March last year as part of efforts to tap into a vast data store of health information to [...]
Explainer: How will the BBC change in the next five years? March 30, 2021 The BBC this week published its annual plan, outlining its strategy and financial targets as it looks to adapt to major shifts in the media landscape. It comes at a tough time for the public service broadcaster, which is facing declining viewer numbers and a political row over its licence fee funding model, as well [...]
SpaceX: Elon Musk’s Starship rocket crash lands after test flight March 30, 2021 Elon Musk’s SpaceX has suffered another failed test flight of its Starship rocket, which appears to have exploded during a landing attempt today. The uncrewed prototype was successfully launched from Boca Chica in Texas this morning for its fourth major test flight. But the Starship appears to have been destroyed during a crash landing, though [...]
Thousands flock to parks, pools and beaches as UK basks in spring sunshine March 30, 2021 Thousands of people flocked to parks, pools and beaches in England today as the first easing of lockdown measures combined with unseasonably scorching temperatures. Under new rules that came into force yesterday, six people are allowed to meet outdoors or in a private garden, while the government has scrapped its ‘stay at home’ message. The [...]
China tightens grip on Hong Kong as it limits parliament to ‘patriots’ March 30, 2021 China has passed new laws slashing the number of directly-elected politicians to Hong Kong’s parliament, further tightening Beijing’s control over the financial hub. The changes will almost halve the number of representatives who are directly elected and increase the number of Beijing-approved officials. The overhaul is intended to ensure that only “patriots” can rule the [...]
Tobacco stocks in the red on UK’s £40m cigarette butt cleaning plan March 30, 2021 Tobacco stocks slipped into the red today after the government unveiled plans to slap manufacturers with the £40m annual cost of cleaning up cigarette butts. In a statement this morning junior environment minister Rebecca Pow said the UK was looking at how tobacco firms could be “held fully accountable for the unsightly scourge of litter [...]
Oil prices rise as as output cut hopes offset Suez Canal reopening March 29, 2021 Oil prices rose nearly one per cent today as hopes that Opec+ will hold output cuts reversed an earlier slump linked to the reopening of the Suez Canal. Futures had dropped earlier today after container ship Ever Given, which had grounded in the Suez Canal and blocked the waterway for almost a week, was refloated. [...]
