Up the chain: Boris and Ursula try to seal a deal before Christmas December 23, 2020 PM Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are said to be in “close contact” in a last-ditch bid to secure a post-Brexit trade deal. Talks on the future relationship between the UK and the EU have now dragged on for four and a half years. Read more: One final push but [...]
Individuals rush to sell assets as capital gains tax bill rockets to £10.1bn December 23, 2020 The UK’s capital gains tax (CGT) bill has hit £10.1bn, up more than fourfold from £2.5bn a decade earlier, prompting people to sell their assets. Despite the increase of nearly £7.5bn in a decade, more CGT could be demanded from the taxpayer. The Office for Tax Simplification recently recommended the Chancellor increase CGT rates in [...]
Beringea: VCs will regret overpaying during the pandemic December 23, 2020 2020 is on track for a record year of VC investment but after a slow start followed by an avalanche of deals in September VCs should be in self-reflection mode. City A.M. spoke to the refreshingly honest Karen McCormick, chief investment officer of Beringea about the lessons learned from the pandemic and where VCs went [...]
Google CEO criticises antitrust regulation December 23, 2020 Google's chief executive officer, Sundar Pichai warns that "regulation can get it wrong" in an interview with the Financial Times.
Advertising watchdog bans Klarna Instagram ads December 23, 2020 The advertising watchdog has banned several Klarna shopping adverts that appeared on Instagram and encouraged consumers to use Klarna to shop and ‘boost their mood’. The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has banned Klarna’s Instagram campaign from appearing again, and warned the influencers involved to not “irresponsibly” encourage the use of Klarna’s deferred payment service. The [...]
Major League Cricket: Silicon Valley and Bollywood’s grand plan to make America fall in love with T20 December 23, 2020 People don’t tend to associate the game of cricket with the United States. The world’s second most popular sport has an estimated global following of 2.5bn, yet has struggled to attract an audience in the US, where American football, baseball, and basketball dominate the live sport broadcasting schedule. But a group of investors that includes [...]
Covid-19: R Rate creeps up to 1.4 in London according to new study December 23, 2020 A new study suggests the so-called R Rate for Covid-19 in the capital has crept up to 1.4. An R Rate more than 1 means the number of those with the virus is growing. The study, compiled by ZOE and the Covid Symptom Study app, suggests that the worst affected boroughs in London are Havering [...]
Octopus Energy expands into Japan with Tokyo Gas partnership December 23, 2020 Octopus Energy has partnered with Tokyo gas in a move that establishes Octopus’s presence in Asia. The agreement will see Octopus Energy and Tokyo Gas launch the Octopus Energy brand in Japan, operated by TG Octopus Energy. Tokyo will act as a launchpad for Octopus’s expansion across the region. Octopus Energy in Japan will provide [...]
FTSE slips this morning amidst a host of global worries December 23, 2020 The FTSE 100 has slipped a little this morning, with the index down 0.15 per cent 45 minutes into trading. A brief recovery from a lower open has dissipated. A lack of progress on a Brexit deal, ongoing fears about the new mutant strain of Covid-19 and President Trump gave reason to trouble traders on [...]
BoE’s Chief Wonk: Inflation spike could undermine recovery December 23, 2020 The Bank of England’s Chief Economist Andy Haldane has said that a “laser focus” is needed on inflation amid unprecedented public debt and fiscal stimulus. Haldane fears that markets would only forgive a brief period in which inflation tops the Bank’s 2 per cent target, with any entrenchment seeing yields rise and increasing the cost [...]
