Showboat: Amazon boss Jeff Bezos revealed as owner of $500m superyacht May 10, 2021 As the richest person on the planet, it’s fair to say money is no object to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. But even by the standards of the super-rich, his latest purchase is likely to make waves. The billionaire businessman has been revealed as the owner of a mammoth superyacht worth a reported $500m (£354m) that [...]
Caterham Super Seven 1600 review: old-fashioned values May 10, 2021 The Super Seven 1600 is a more traditional take on the Caterham sports car, with retro styling and a throaty soundtrack. Tim Pitt drives it.
Rain dampens high street recovery as footfall drops 4.1 per cent May 10, 2021 Footfall in UK retail destinations fell 4.1 per cent last week from the week before, as wind and rain persuaded shoppers to stay home for another week. The number of high street shoppers fell 6.6 per cent last week, according to the latest data from retail insight company Springboard, while footfall in shopping centres and [...]
Inovio confirms its Covid vaccine is safe in mid-stage trials May 10, 2021 Inovio Pharmaceuticals has confirmed its Covid-19 vaccine candidate is safe in a mid-stage clinical trial, as it produces immune responses against the virus in all tested age groups. The trial, which included around 400 participants aged 18 years and older at 16 US sites, used a 2mg dose for the phase three segment of the trial. The [...]
Sterling tops $1.41 for first time in more than two months May 10, 2021 The pound climbed higher than $1.41 today for the first time in more than two months. Sterling was buoyed by economic optimism, a weaker dollar and market relief that a Scottish independence referendum looks unlikely in the near-term. Pro-independence parties won a majority in Scotland’s parliament on Saturday, paving the way for a political battle [...]
Secondary fundraising by retailers nears £2bn as firms eye M&A opportunities May 10, 2021 Listed retail companies have raised nearly £2bn in the past year as they sought to strengthen their balance sheets amid the pandemic. Now, they are starting to eye M&A opportunities. In recent years, listed firms in the UK have relied less on the public markets with private equity firms often considered a more attractive option. [...]
Union steps in as £360m pension row at FirstGroup escalates May 10, 2021 Union Unite has spoken out against FirstGroup’s biggest investor, which wants to see proceeds for a recent sale at First Group given to shareholders, rather than used to plug the company’s pension deficit. FirstGroup recently sold its US division First Bus for £3.3bn to EQT Infrastructure, a year after putting the business up for sale. [...]
Record label Believe follows Universal with €2bn listing plan May 10, 2021 French record label Believe is gearing up for a €2bn (£1.7bn) stock market float as the music industry looks to cash in on a streaming-induced boom. The startup, which offers distribution services to help artists get discovered on platforms such as Spotifty and Apple Music, is hoping to raise €500m through a listing on the [...]
Vaccine patents: When does free for all become a free-for-all? May 10, 2021 As the UK begins to see the light at the end of the Covid tunnel, at least in terms of mass vaccination and the lifting of most personal restrictions, the virus has hit the headlines anew elsewhere in the world. Its virulent spread in India has been the most eye-catching and heart-rending, with deaths topping [...]
Begbies Traynor makes fourth acquisition this year May 10, 2021 Begbies Traynor has bought Midlands-based finance broker MAF Property, marking its fourth acquisition of the year as the group continues to focus on growth. The London-listed professional services firm will pay a maximum of £11.75m for MAF Property, with an initial cash payment of £3m, followed by the potential for an additional £8.75m subject to [...]
