Pound traders brace for tense week as Brexit talks continue December 20, 2020 Sterling traders are gearing themselves up for another nervy week amid fears that a collapse in Brexit talks could spark a sharp sell-off in the pound. Negotiations are ongoing, but noises from both camps suggest they remain stuck on fishing rights and competition policy. British health secretary Matt Hancock this morning told Sky News that [...]
Belgian Government joins Dutch in banning British arrivals December 20, 2020 Belgium has joined the Netherlands in banning British arrivals after the emergence of a new mutant strain of Covid-19 in the UK. PM Alexander De Croo announced the ban would be in place for at least 24 hours from midnight tonight, with most expecting the restrictions to last longer than that. It comes after the [...]
How activist investors will circle in on UK corporates in 2021 December 20, 2020 As companies plan for their post-pandemic future there are signs that they will have to contend with a new threat: activist investors. Activists have so far been biding their time. The usually vocal Edward Bramson paused his campaign against Barclays boss Jes Staley at the start of the year. Bramson has repeatedly called for the [...]
US lawmakers poised to vote on $900bn stimulus package December 20, 2020 US lawmakers could vote on a $900bn (£665bn) stimulus package as early as today after Republicans and Democrats reportedly reached a compromise on Federal Reserve lending programmes. If Congress fails to act, much of the support aimed at the unemployed so far will expire. Other stimulus programmes are due to come to an end before [...]
Brexit talks continue as UK demands EU withdraw “unreasonable demands” December 20, 2020 Sticking points including fisheries and the level-playing field continue to plague Brexit talks as they enter the final stages. The European Parliament has set an effective deadline of midnight today if it is to be ratified in time for the UK’s departure on December 31. Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News this morning: “We [...]
Tier 4: What does it mean for travel? December 20, 2020 Londoners may have been plotting to get home and see their families this Christmas, either in the UK or abroad, but those plans have been thrown into chaos by new Tier 4 restrictions. What are the new rules? The Government warns that “you must not leave your home to travel unless for work, education or [...]
Another London leisure landmark closes its doors for good December 20, 2020 Cafe de Paris, which opened in 1924 and only shut during the Blitz when it suffered a direct hit, will close its doors thanks to lockdown restrictions. Maxwell’s Restaurants, which owns Cafe de Paris as well as the Tropicana Beach Club, entered liquidation last week. The Sunday Times first reported the news. Some 400 jobs [...]
Publish which firms get furlough cash, government told December 20, 2020 The government should publish a list of companies that have received furlough money to increase transparency around the scheme, amid fears of waste and fraud, parliament’s spending watchdog has said. The cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also said that chancellor Rishi Sunak’s repeated extensions to the scheme at short notice caused uncertainty that could have [...]
High street burns, but Issa brothers mull a fiddle with Nero December 20, 2020 Asda owners EG Group are offering to fund a legal challenge against Caffe Nero over its controversial rescue deal, it was reported today. The Group, owned by the petrol station tycoons the Issa Brothers, has hired lawyers as well as property agents Christie’s and CWM as part of an effort to overturn the coffee chain’s [...]
Tier 4 lockdown until widespread vaccine rollout, Health Secretary warns December 20, 2020 Matt Hancock has warned that an effective lockdown across London and the South East will continue until a sizable part of the population is vaccinated. Speaking to Sky News this morning, Hancock warned that the new variant of the Covid-19 virus was “out of control.” “Given how fast the variant spreads it is going to [...]
