UK-EU trade has ‘flatlined’ but hopes for ‘reset’, MPs told September 6, 2024 UK trade with the European Union (EU) has “essentially flatlined”, MPs were told, but the new government hopes to “reset our relationship” with the neighbouring bloc. Business minister Douglas Alexander told the House of Commons: “Overall trade since 2018 has essentially flatlined. “As a government, we’re determined to reset our relationship with the EU more [...]
Bad data holding back lending to UK’s small businesses, fintech chief warns September 6, 2024 High street banks are keen to lend more to small businesses but being held back by poor data sharing, the head of of a government-backed fintech hub has said, hailing the sector's potential to boost UK economic growth.
FCA clamps down on hundreds more City firms in ‘robust’ enforcement push September 5, 2024 The Financial Conduct Authority more than doubled the amount of companies it banned from working as regulated companies last year as it looks to beef up its enforcement action and clampdown on wrongdoing in the City.
HS2: Construction of Britain’s longest railway bridge completed near London September 5, 2024 High Speed Two (HS2) has completed the construction of the longest railway bridge in Britain to the north west of London. The final deck segment of the 2.1-mile long viaduct, crossing the Colne Valley in Buckinghamshire, was fixed into place on Thursday by HS2 engineers. The new bridge breaks a 140-year record held by the [...]
Almost 90 per cent of investment trusts are on a discount. When will it change? September 5, 2024 A significant 88 per cent of all investment trusts are now trading on a discount to their underlying assets, City A.M. can reveal. The gap between the share price of investment trusts and the price of their underlying assets has got so bad that 30 per cent of all trusts now trade on a discount [...]
Competition watchdog to probe Ticketmaster’s ‘dynamic pricing’ for Oasis tickets September 5, 2024 The UK's competition watchdog has launched a probe into Ticketmaster's sale of Oasis concert tickets, including the platform's use of so-called "dynamic pricing".
How Asos’ post-pandemic debt led it to sell Topshop September 5, 2024 Three years after buying the British high street brands Topshop and Topman from Phillip Green’s collapsed Arcadia empire, Asos has said it will sell 75 per cent of its stake in the brands to a joint venture with Heartland. Asos bought the brands at a buoyant time for the company when its stock was near [...]
Traders up bets on 50 basis point cut as US labour market continues to loosen September 5, 2024 August's rate of job growth was the slowest since January 2021 and was down from 110,000 the month before.
Water: Tougher regulation will attract ‘global investment’, Steve Reed claims September 5, 2024 Steve Reed has claimed that toughening up water regulation will “attract global investment” to rebuild the UK’s sewage and pipeline infrastructure. The environment secretary today insisted his efforts to reform the under-fire industry—including the threat of prison time for rogue water bosses—would create “growth and opportunity.” It comes after Reed unveiled the Water (Special Measures) [...]
PwC UK orders staff to spend more time in office and meet clients in person September 5, 2024 PwC UK has ordered staff to spend more time in the office and meet clients in person, as the accounting giant becomes the latest firm to adopt tighter rules on working from home. The Big Four firm told its employees and partners on Thursday that its new hybrid working policy would require them to spend [...]
