TfL funding crisis: UK Government agrees last-minute cash deal to keep Tube running until February Deal done Transport for London (TfL) tonight announced it had reached another short-term stop-gap funding deal with central government to fund the capital’s transport network until early February. Andy Byford, London’s transport commissioner, said: “The Government has today confirmed an extension of its funding support for TfL through until 4 February, for which we are grateful. The Mayor [...]
Covid-19: No Plan-C Omicron restrictions before Christmas, says health minister No Plan C Families and businesses concerned about another set of tighter Covid-19 restrictions ahead of Christmas Day have no reason to worry according to a UK health minister this morning. Health minister Gillian Keegan said the Government was “not intending to make any more restrictions” between now and Christmas Day. She said Boris Johnson “won’t hesitate” to [...]
‘A big pay day’ for hedgie short-sellers: Cineworld slumps after £700m court ruling A sad ending Cineworld, the UK’s most-shorted company, had a terrible day today as its shares plummeted almost 40 per cent following a Canadian court order to pay out $900m (£722m) in damages and costs after it was sued for pulling out of a takeover deal with Canada’s Cineplex. The damages payout, which Cineworld will appeal against, is [...]
British Airways owner IAG moves to terminate takeover agreement with Air Europa December 15, 2021 IAG, the aviation giant that owns British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, has moved to back-track on its takeover of Spanish airline Air Europa, bringing down shares by 4.59 per cent to 126.48p. The BA owner this morning said “discussions are at an advanced stage to terminate the agreement signed on 4 November 2019” whereby [...]
French tycoon Patrick Drahi’s Altice tops up stake in BT to 18 per cent for £1bn December 14, 2021 Patrick Drahi's Altice UK has this morning increased its stake in telecoms giant BT from 12.1 per cent to 18 per cent.
Labour market squeeze: UK unemployment rate falls to 4.2 per cent as vacancies soar to 1.2m December 14, 2021 The UK unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points on the quarter to 4.2 per cent for the three months to the end of October. A rise in more part-time work is partly behind the fall, according to Office for National Statistics data out this morning. Young people, a group that bore the brunt of [...]
Virgin Atlantic boosted by £400m in funding from Branson’s Virgin Group and Delta Air Lines December 13, 2021 British Airways rival Virgin Atlantic is hoping to leave the turbulence behind after sealing a funding deal with Virgin Group and Delta Airline to inject £400m in fresh cash to steer it out of the pandemic. Virgin Atlantic, like many other airlines, has been battered by the Covid tracvel restrictions and the clisure of many [...]
Downing St parties probe ‘extended to include PM Boris Johnson’s quiz night’ December 13, 2021 The cabinet secretary will extend his investigation into Downing St parties during last year’s Covid lockdown to include whether the Prime Minster personally broke the law by hosting a quiz night. Government sources told the Times Simon Case would extend the probe to include the gathering, where the PM acted as an impromptu Zoom quiz [...]
Boardroom bloody noses: Activist activity surges as FTSE firms feel the heat over pay and director votes December 13, 2021 There were plenty of bloody noses around FTSE boardrooms this year, with new data out today showing a surge in investor activism rattling remuneration committees over pay awards and spooking directors trying to get re-elected to their posts. Investors in FTSE 350 companies are increasingly more activist, with a 29 per cent surge in shareholder [...]
Hotel Review: Windjammer Landing, St Lucia November 29, 2021 If you’re ready to escape the bleak British winter for some Caribbean sun, we have just the thing… The stay We’re ditching the grey skies if London for the tropical climes of St Lucia’s yacht-speckled bays. Travelling in the Covid-19 era ain’t for those afraid of form-filling, pre-testing, masking-wearing or very regular hand-gel application but [...]
