M&S Bank to shut 29 branches as it moves services online March 4, 2021 M&S Bank will close 29 in-store branches from this summer after shifting services to online, as the pandemic has made the consumer preference of online banking more apparent. The bank will continue to offer general insurance, savings and loans online and by phone, but will now offer a new card-less payment option. M&S Bank CEO [...]
The Dissident examines Saudi murder of Jamal Khashoggi March 4, 2021 On 2 October 2018, Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by agents of the Saudi Arabian government at their consulate in Istanbul. The assassination sent shockwaves around the world, as it came to discover the unthinkable act of a government brazenly killing a writer known for his criticisms of them. What this meant for [...]
Should you pay-per-view £20 for Raya and The Last Dragon? March 4, 2021 The pandemic has forced movie studios to think differently. Paramount sold many films in its 2020 slate to streaming services, while Warner Bros threw everything on to HBO Max. Disney has been more cautious, preserving its mega blockbusters for the big screen while also testing the waters with a pay per view offering of Mulan, [...]
Revolution Bars expects boom in demand as it prepares to reopen 20 sites next month March 4, 2021 Revolution Bars announced this morning that it expects a boom in demand when it is able to resume trading, as it revealed plans to reopen 20 branches when hospitality firms can begin outdoor service next month. The bar chain will reopen 20 sites from 12 April and it is planning to open the rest of [...]
Clean air: City Corporation to become first UK authority to run fully electric refuse truck fleet March 4, 2021 The City of London Corporation will become the first UK governing body to run a full fleet of Electric Refuse Collection Vehicles (ERCVs) following recent successful trials of the new technology. The first of the fleet of five new environmentally friendly trucks have arrived at Guildhall today [4 March] – the City Corporation’s HQ. The vehicles [...]
Is this pendulous bull market swinging close to a knife edge? March 4, 2021 Bitcoin closed at over $50,000 last night for the first time in 10 days, marking another small step down the road in the recovery from last week’s losses.
Apple facing UK competition probe over app store dominance March 4, 2021 Apple is facing a competition probe in the UK over claims the way it treats app developers is “unfair and uncompetitive”. The iPhone maker has been locked in a long-running dispute with app makers including Epic Games, the company behind hit video game Fortnite, over the cut it takes through the App Store and on [...]
L’Oreal to only use renewable ingredients by 2030 March 4, 2021 Cosmetics giant L’Oreal will transition all of its ingredients to renewable plant sources and abundant minerals by 2030, the company said today, as the demand for organic and environmentally conscious cosmetics grows. L’Oreal said that over the next decade, 95 per cent of ingredients across all its brands and ranges will come from plants that [...]
Budget secures £21.7bn in stealth taxes for Treasury coffers March 4, 2021 The Chancellor has made use of fiscal drag to secure £21.7bn in steal taxes by the end of the 2025/26 tax year. Fiscal drag is a phenomenon where inflation gradually moves more taxpayers into higher tax brackets. Some commentators describe it as the ultimate steal tax. In yesterday’s budget Chancellor Rishi Sunak chose to [...]
Vaccine rollout sees UK equity funds break 8-month run of outflows March 4, 2021 UK equity funds enjoyed their first inflows since last May with investors boosted by the success of the vaccine rollout. It brings an end to a difficult eight months which saw funds shed £2.2bn of capital, according to global fund network Calastone. Last month investors cautiously dipped their toes into equity funds with £145m in [...]
