Sold: Esken sells stake in Stobart Air for £2 April 20, 2021 Aviation and energy group Esken has sold its stake in Irish flight operator Stobart Air for £2 this morning to avoid the company collapsing. A buyback sale of £1 for aircraft leasing company Propius was initially tabled by Esken in April 2020 when the pandemic sprung into full force in the UK. The buyback was [...]
Primark owner restores dividend as high street stores reopen April 20, 2021 The owner of Primark today said it would restore its dividend and pay back furlough money as it issued an upbeat outlook following the reopening of retail stores. Associated British Foods (ABF) halted its payout last year due to the outbreak of Covid-19, which sparked an almost £1.5bn hit to its first-half Primark sales. The [...]
FCA chief: Financial promotion rules must apply online April 20, 2021 The head of the City regulator has called on the Government to provide more protection for consumers online in the face of an increasing number of risky investment offers. Speaking at UK fintech week, Nikhil Rathi reiterated the need for financial promotion rules to apply to both digital and more traditional media. “In a low [...]
Amazon executive in conflict of interest row over UK space role April 20, 2021 A senior Amazon executive is said to be in the running for a role as government space adviser despite concerns over serious conflicts of interest. Peter Marquez, head of space policy at Amazon, has been put forward to serve as a temporary, unpaid adviser to the government. He would take up the position alongside his [...]
Chinese police arrest two BP venture staff in fuel trade probe April 20, 2021 Chinese police have arrested two senior staff members of a BP joint venture, in connection with an investigation into suspected illicit fuel trading. The detentions, along with several more arrests in Guangdong, came after the province launched an investigation into suspected illicit trading of light cycle oil (LCO) between 2018 and 2020. The Guandong police, [...]
Tesco slapped with £7.56m fine for selling out-of-date food April 20, 2021 Tesco was slapped with a £7.56m fine for selling out of date food at three of its stores by a Birmingham judge on Monday. The judge at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court also ordered the supermarket giant to pay a victim surcharge of £170, alongside the prosecution costs of £95,500, Birmingham City Council said. The penalty was handed [...]
Rio Tinto’s output falls on workforce shortages and wet weather April 20, 2021 Global miner Rio Tinto reported lower quarterly iron ore output on Tuesday as wet weather and workforce shortages hit operations in Western Australia. Operations were affected by above average wet weather and plant disruptions, while a tropical cyclone disrupted maintenance and labour availability. Production for the quarter stood at 76.4 million tonnes, down two per [...]
Why the European Super League can prove to be a winner for all stakeholders and future-proof the game April 20, 2021 The proposed European Super League (ESL) represents the biggest shake-up of football since the creation of the Premier League and Champions League. As with any significant change, the plan has received its share of critics, many of whom suggest that it represents a money grab by the most powerful clubs. However, far from weakening football, [...]
Jupiter records outflows of £776m as demand for European equities falls April 20, 2021 Jupiter Fund Management recorded first quarter net outflows of £776m as clients turned their back on UK and European equities. The wealth manager said mutual funds saw total net outflows of £848m due to continued lower demand for European-focused equities. It was partially offset by positive net inflows from fixed income. Shares in Jupiter fell [...]
Cyber firm Avast lifts guidance as revenue growth continues April 20, 2021 Cybersecurity firm Avast today hiked its forecasts for the full year after posting a strong rise in profit for the first quarter. The London-listed company booked revenue of $237m (£170m) in the first three months of the year, up 10.5 per cent on last year. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation also rose [...]
