Business rates relief snub costs Sainsbury’s £400m as profit slumps despite lockdown sales boost April 28, 2021 The last year saw most Brits spend up large at the supermarket, but despite a sales boom Sainsbury’s first quarter profit has slumped because it chose to say no to business rates relief. Sainsbury’s, the UK’s second largest grocer after Tesco , said it made an underlying pretax profit of £356m in the year to [...]
Antonio Horta-Osorio signs off at Lloyds with a £1.4bn post-tax profit April 28, 2021 Lloyds bank posted a £1.4bn after tax profit for the first quarter, up nearly 200 per cent on the same time last year, in boss Antonio Horta-Osorio’s final results at the helm. The banking giant’s statutory profit after tax for the three months to 31 March 2021 was £1.39bn compared to £480m this time last [...]
HSBC profits surge to $5.8bn on Covid-19 recovery hopes April 27, 2021 Banking giant HSBC this morning announced a surging pre-tax profit of $5.78bn (£4.16bn) for the first quarter, up from $3.21bn a year ago and well above an average analyst forecast of $3.35bn. Revenue, however, fell five per cent to $13bn in the three months to 30 March as low interest rates in its main markets [...]
Q+A: Covid-19 vaccine rollout extended to all those over 42, your questions answered April 27, 2021 The Covid-19 vaccine rollout has been extended in England for the second time in two days. Adults aged 42 and over are now able to book their jab. Here’s a quick Q+A to bring you up to speed as the NHS in England takes another step forward in the biggest vaccination programme in its history. [...]
City A.M. TV: Daily Market Snapshot (video) April 26, 2021 Since early April, US equity markets have been in a persistent uptrend. That’s been is aided and abetted by (i) notable US dollar weakness; (ii) lower bond yields (resulting in tech outperformance); and (iii) a strong Q1 earnings season, with most US companies surprising markets to the upside. In that respect, and while US equity indices [...]
The EU will sign a post-Brexit deal on financial services, PwC boss predicts, because it ‘needs London’ April 26, 2021 The EU will grant the City of London access to its capital markets and agree a post-Brexit deal on financial services because it “needs London”, PwC has predicted. The financial services sector was left out of the post-Brexit trade deal agreed between the two sides last year, but the Big Four firm is predicting the [...]
Government leaking Covid economic policy erodes public trust, think tank warns April 23, 2021 Treasury’s leaking of Covid-19 recovery policies to some media outlets weeks in advance, while keeping tight lipped on important details, risks eroding public trust, a leading economic think tank has warned. A new report by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr) said the current method has led to serious fiscal failures and [...]
UK no longer in group of 20 worst-hit countries for Covid-19 death rate April 22, 2021 The UK has fallen off the list of the 20 countires worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, as measured by excess deaths. Since the pandemic took hold in March 2020, the UK has recorded 121,000 more deaths in its population than would normally occur in a year. That’s a rate of 183 excess deaths per [...]
Treasury minister ‘sorry’ for LCF minibond scandal and plans crackdown on online fraud April 21, 2021 UK Government apologises for LCF minibonds scandal and plans crackdown on online fraud
Set the tone: Central bankers can move markets or ease volatility based on their vocal pitch April 21, 2021 When it comes to absorbing shocks, boosting stocks or reducing volatility markets take their cues from the tone of voice central bankers use
