UK Covid cases have now fallen for seven days in a row. Is this the beginning of the end? July 27, 2021 The number of people testing positive for new cases of Covid-19 has now fallen for seven days in a row, prompting thoughts that the UK may be through the worst of the third wave of the pandemic. But are they justified? A seven day stretch of falling case rates last happened in summer last year, [...]
Wizz Air’s controversial £100m bonus plan for CEO voted through by shareholders July 27, 2021 A £100m bonus is one step closer for Wizz Air boss Jozsef Varadi, after more than 60 per cent of shareholders gave the airline’s remuneration strategy the green light at its AGM today. Investors in the budget airline voted 68 per cent to 32 per cent in favour of its “Value Creation Plan”, a strategy [...]
Tory China hawks urge PM to dismiss concerns over cutting out China from nuclear plant July 27, 2021 A trio of Tory MPs have called on Boris Johnson to ban a China-owned company from owning a Suffolk nuclear plant amid concerns the move could jeopardise the status of a future site. Reports circulating yesterday suggested the Prime Minister was preparing to ban China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) from retaining majority ownership of the [...]
Games Workshop shares slump despite sales surge over lockdown July 27, 2021 Games Workshop shares slipped today despite the gaming and miniature figures retailer recording a spike in sales as Brits got on its ware to relieve lockdown. The Nottingham-based firm’s pre-tax profits surged 69 per cent, hitting nearly £151m in the year to 30 May. Revenue rose 31 per cent to £353m due to a hike [...]
Visa-backed Brazilian payments firm Conductor eyes US IPO July 27, 2021 Brazilian payments firm Conductor has tabled plans for a US initial public offering that could come as soon as this year, according to reports. Conductor, which is backed by Visa, has already hired banks for the IPO, Reuters first reported citing three sources close to the matter. No figure has yet been put on the [...]
Boris Johnson urges caution as falling Covid case numbers raise hopes for UK July 27, 2021 The Prime Minister said that people should not get carried away by six days of lower Covid case numbers in the UK, and warned that the effects of Freedom Day had not yet fed through to the data. Johnson urged people not to get complacent or jump to premature conclusions after the UK recorded six [...]
Reckitt rakes in £6.5bn revenue but underwhelmed investors see shares sink July 27, 2021 Consumer goods company Reckitt raked in just over £6.5bn in revenue in the past six months, though it fell short of analysts’ sky-high sales expectations. The FTSE 100-listed firm was buoyed by its strong second-quarter revenue, which pulled in some £3bn after selling its Chinese infant formula business for around £1.5bn in June. Shares were [...]
Covid recovery: IMF predicts UK economy to grow fastest of all G7 nations July 27, 2021 The UK economy is set to recover much faster than expected from the Covid crisis as a resurgence in consumer spending and the success of the vaccine rollout boosted official forecasts. According to the International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook report, the UK economy will expand seven per cent this year, a sharp increase [...]
Converted: London Jehovah’s Witnesses HQ to start new life as film studio July 27, 2021 The former headquarters of the UK Jehovah’s Witnesses in north London will be given a fresh start as a film and TV hub in a bid to tap into surging demand for studio space. Flexible workspace firm Purpose has snapped up the 200,000 square feet site in Mill Hill and plans to transform it into [...]
Return to pub trumps return to work for Brits in first week since Freedom Day July 27, 2021 Freedom Day’s easing of restrictions on 19 July sparked a return to drinking holes and restaurants for more Brits last week than it did a return to the office, according to new data tracking average footfall. Overall hospitality footfall in the UK now stands at 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels, and the lifting of [...]