UK dividends slump to $14.7bn in first quarter after slowdown in special payouts May 24, 2022 UK dividends slumped in the first quarter of the year after a slowdown in frothy one-off payouts that caused an $18.8bn spike between January and March last year.
Letters: Some Parisian inspiration May 24, 2022 [Re: Woo investors to make Britain like France, Boris told, yesterday] The Centre for Policy Studies’ (CPS) conclusion that the UK needs to emulate the policies of France to attract investors offers interesting insights. This argument, however, must be put into context. Financial markets are in a precarious position with rising inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, and [...]
Van owners discouraged from going electric due to lack of charging points May 24, 2022 Around 57 per cent of van owners feel discouraged from going electric due to a lack of charging points, according to a survey published today. Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed that even though more than a third of all new models come with plug, only one in 20 buyers [...]
All hail the Elizabeth line: Canary Wharf turns purple to celebrate opening May 24, 2022 Canary Wharf is turning purple to celebrate today’s opening of the Elizabeth line. The financial district is lighting up its most iconic buildings, including One Canada Square and Jubilee Park, as well as Crossrail Place Roof Garden. Shops around the wharf will join in the celebrations, with several restaurants introducing new purple cocktails and shops [...]
Klarna to slash workforce by 10 per cent May 23, 2022 Buy-now pay-later firm Klarna will slash its workforce by around 10 per cent as it becomes the latest tech giant to announce a swathe of job cuts.
Editorial: HSBC brouhaha should kick off a worthwhile ESG debate May 23, 2022 It is ironic that in a speech criticising hyperbole, the now-suspended HSBC Head of Responsible Investing Stuart Kirk went to some effort to out-hyperbole even those who he sought to lambast. As a former journalist, Kirk will surely have known that criticising alarmist “nut jobs” was unlikely to do anything but stir a hornet’s nest. [...]
Strong B&Q earnings rebuild investors’ risk appetite to kick off week May 23, 2022 Investors picked up their risk appetite again during the opening trading day of the week as B&Q owner Kingfisher helped mend market sentiment. London’s premier FTSE 100 index jumped 1.67 per cent to 7,513.44 points, while the mid-cap domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, climbed 1.56 [...]
Bailey bats away claims Bank of England has fuelled inflation May 23, 2022 Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey today snapped back at criticism he and the central bank’s committee of rate setters have fuelled inflation in the UK. The governor dismissed accusations the Bank has contributed to the current living cost spike by over-flooding the UK economy with money during the Covid-19 crisis. “What I [...]
US lawyer pulls out of Hong Kong government forum after activists brand it a ‘propaganda event’ May 23, 2022 The head of US law firm Davis Polk’s Asia division has pulled out of speaking at a Hong Kong government forum commemorating the coming into force of the city-state’s controversial national security laws, after pro-democracy activists branded it a “propaganda event”. In a post on Linkedin, Martin Rogers, the chair of Davis Polk’s Asia business, [...]
Households backed with government grants to support ramp up of heat pumps May 23, 2022 Energy users can now apply for government grants to swap their gas boilers for heat pumps, after it opened its boiler upgrade scheme today.
