Brexit stockpiling fails to save UK manufacturing from recession November 1, 2019 The UK manufacturing sector looked to be firmly stuck in recession as Brexit stockpiling could not prevent a sixth month of contraction in October, a closely followed survey found today. Jobs, new orders and factory ouput all fell last month, according to IHS Markit’s UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). Read more: Hong Kong falls [...]
Pound nears $1.30 as weak dollar and election buoy GBP/USD November 1, 2019 The pound jumped against the dollar in early trading today thanks to a weaker US currency and hopes of a Tory majority at the upcoming election. GBP rose 0.34 per cent against USD to $1.297 as markets opened, buoyed by a weaker dollar due to the US Federal Reserve’s third cut to interest rates this [...]
Downing Street responds to Donald Trump’s Brexit deal criticism November 1, 2019 Number 10 has defended Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal after President Donald Trump threatened it could thwart a trade agreement between the UK and US. Trump warned the US “can’t make a trade deal with the UK” under the terms of the Prime Minister’s EU withdrawal agreement. Read more: Donald Trump slams Jeremy Corbyn and says [...]
Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot owner PSA have agreed a merger which could reshape the car industry October 31, 2019 Fiat Chrysler (FCA) and Peugeot owner PSA have agreed to go after a merger which would create a €180bn (£155bn) revenue automotive industry titan. PSA and FCA said they had decided to “work towards” a deal which would give shareholders in each company 50 per cent ownership of the new firm, creating the fourth-largest car [...]
BT boss Philip Jansen says full-fibre rollout should be ‘top priority’ for next government October 31, 2019 BT’s new chief executive, Philip Jansen, has urged the next government to put a full-fibre rollout at the very top of its to-do list as he warned the UK is growing hungrier for data. While British homes currently have just five connected devices, BT predicts that number will soar to 100 within just five years [...]
BT keeps dividend alive despite heavy network spending October 31, 2019 BT kept its dividend alive despite a hit to earnings and revenue in the first half of new boss Philip Jansen’s first financial year due to hits from regulation and legacy product declines. The telco posted a flat profit and interim dividend as it pushes to try and roll out fibre broadband to 4m premises [...]
Boris Johnson pays backhanded tribute to speaker John Bercow October 30, 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid outgoing speaker John Bercow a backhanded compliment today when he compared him to lauded physicist Stephen Hawking. Johnson said Bercow has had the “longest retirement since Frank Sinatra” after the speaker announced on 9 September he would step down from the role. Read more: Brexit Party shows its election hand [...]
TfL ‘can’t rule out’ Thor’s hammer as cause of huge London Overground delays October 30, 2019 Travel chaos hit London Overground commuters today as the service suffered suspensions due to a track obstruction. Londoners coming into the city were forced to find alternative routes with no service between Highbury & Islington and New Cross, Clapham Junction, West Croydon and Crystal Palace. Read more: Crossrail is at risk of even more delays [...]
Facebook abandons appeal against £500,000 Cambridge Analytica fine October 30, 2019 Facebook has dropped its appeal over a £500,000 data protection fine for its Cambridge Analytica scandal. The social media network has made no admission of liability but will no longer contest the maximum fine imposed by UK watchdog the Information Commissioner’s Office. Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg appealed the penalty last November after the watchdog issued the [...]
De La Rue share price plunges as it issues profit warning October 30, 2019 De La Rue’s share price crumbled today after it warned investors that full-year profits would fall “significantly lower” than current market expectations. Britain’s former passport maker also warned that adjusted operating profit for its half-year to the end of September would only be in the low-to-mid single digits. Read more: De La Rue appoints turnaround [...]