KPMG creates 200 jobs in Belfast February 17, 2021 Big Four firm KPMG is creating 200 jobs in a new “centre of excellence” in Belfast. The new investment will deliver services in cyber security, applied intelligence and digital transformation. The new centre is a joint initiative between KPMG in Ireland and in the UK, and has the support of InvestNI and the Department of [...]
Bitcoin price through the roof as celebrities jump on the crypto bandwagon February 17, 2021 Bitcoin hit a new record high of $51,300 on Wednesday, up 4.7 per cent in a day. The rise tops off a week of enthusiasm for the cryptocurrency, which saw its price surge above $50k for the first time on Tuesday. Bitcoin has risen 900 per cent since March of last year and many famous [...]
Ryanair to appeal court decision to allow state aid for Air France and SAS February 17, 2021 Ryanair this morning said that it would appeal after an EU court dismissed its challenge over state aid given to rivals Air France and SAS. Luxembourg’s General Court, the EU’s second highest legal body, backed the European Commission’s decision to grant discriminatory aid to the virus-hit carriers. In its judgement, which was laid out earlier [...]
Maersk fast-tracks carbon-neutral shipping plans to 2023 February 17, 2021 Shipping group Maersk is speeding up plans to decarbonise seaborne shipping by putting the world’s first carbon-neutral powered ship into operation. A.P. Moller-Maersk aims to achieve the move by 2023, seven years ahead of its original plan. The shipping industry carries around 80 per cent of worldwide trade and accounts for three per cent of [...]
Plus500 plots share buyback as profit soars on record performance February 17, 2021 After a record performance in 2020, online trading platform Plus500 is planning a further buyback program of up to $25m of its shares. Plus500 reported a pretax profit of $523.3m up from $189.3m the previous year with revenue rising 146 per cent to $872.5m. Shares dipped 0.9 per cent this morning. The FTSE 250-listed company [...]
McLaren Artura: new era hybrid supercar breaks cover February 17, 2021 First look at the 2021 McLaren Artura: a radical plug-in hybrid supercar to rival the Ferrari F8 Tributo and Lamborghini Huracan Evo.
Why I can stomach higher equity valuations – Schroders CIO February 17, 2021 The rising involvement of retail investors has been an intriguing trend during the pandemic, culminating in the surge and slump of GameStop shares. As an industry, we worry about the disconnection of individual investors from financial markets, the hubs of wealth creation. Direct ownership of shares by individuals has been declining for decades. For that reason, [...]
Pubs and restaurants could open in May under lockdown exit blueprint February 17, 2021 Pubs and restaurants could reportedly open for limited trading by May under a new roadmap for exiting lockdown being drawn up by government. A blueprint for lifting coronavirus restrictions would allow rules to be eased at four-weekly intervals, with a return to more normality expected by July. The gradual reopening could begin in early April, [...]
Epic Games files EU competition complaint against Apple February 17, 2021 Fortnite maker Epic Games has filed an EU antitrust complaint against Apple, ratcheting up its battle with the tech giant over app store payments. The two companies have been locked in a dispute since August, when Epic launched its own in-app payment system in a bid to sidestep Apple’s 30 per cent commission on some [...]
NBA star Chris Webber partners with asset manager to launch $100m cannabis impact fund February 17, 2021 NBA All-Star Chris Webber has partnered with JW Asset Management to launch a $100m private equity fund that will invest in companies led by entrepreneurs of colour working in the cannabis sector. The pair will collaborate to invest in underrepresented entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry and provide them with resources that will help them grow [...]
