US jobless claims fall to seven-month low but pace of decline slows November 12, 2020 The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a seven-month low last week, official figures showed, but the rate of decline in jobless claims slowed. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits hit a seasonally adjusted total of 709,000 for the week to 7 November, the US Department of Labor said. This [...]
Virtual law firm FisherBroyles: 2020 has been ‘the best year on record’ November 12, 2020 International virtual law firm FisherBroyles has been unwittingly preparing for the coronavirus pandemic for nearly 20 years. Founded in 2002 following the burst of the dot-com bubble, FisherBroyles is a full-service international law firm that operates – and indeed has always operated – virtually. Where the Covid-19 pandemic left many business leaders scratching their heads [...]
Billie documentary review – an oral history of Billie Holiday November 12, 2020 Great documentaries are often founded on great discoveries. In the case of James Erskine’s Billie, that discovery is a treasure trove of interviews by the late Linda Lipnack Kuehl. A writer based in Washington, she spent a decade between the 60s and 70s researching a book about Billie Holiday, interviewing friends, fellow performers, and key [...]
Government green job taskforce to support creation of 2m jobs November 12, 2020 The government has today launched a green jobs task force to support the creation of 2m skilled jobs over the next decade. The new body will assess what the UK job market needs to do to adapt as the country seeks to transition to a net zero emissions energy system by 2050. It will create [...]
Downing Street: ‘Significant gaps’ remain in Brexit trade talks November 12, 2020 Downing Street has said “significant gaps remain” between the UK and EU in Brexit negotiations with talks not expected to yield a breakthrough this week. The Prime Minister’s spokesman told journalists today the UK was “working hard to get a deal”, but that little progress had been made. The unofficial deadline for the two sides [...]
Legal & General shares fall after insurer scales back dividend plans due to Covid-19 November 12, 2020 Shares in Legal & General fell today after the insurance giant kept its final dividend payment for 2020 flat due the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and cut its five-year dividend growth target. In an update to the stock exchange this morning, Legal & General said it had delivered a “resilient” performance so far this [...]
Carlyle invests $250m in third-party reseller Pharmapacks November 12, 2020 Private equity giant Carlyle has invested $250m in US e-commerce firm Pharmapacks, one of Amazon’s largest third-party resellers. Launched initially as a pharmacy shop in 2010, Pharmapacks has grown into an online retailer focused on health, personal care and beauty products. The investment, which values Pharmapacks at approximately $1.1bn, came from Carlyle Partners VII, a [...]
Equality watchdog clears BBC of gender pay discrimination November 12, 2020 The BBC has been cleared of unlawful gender pay discrimination but was warned of a breakdown in trust between the broadcaster and its female employees. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) last year launched an investigation into the BBC following a string of pay complaints from high-profile presenters such as Carrie Grace and Samira [...]
Disappointing GDP figures show UK recovery lost momentum ahead of second lockdown November 12, 2020 UK GDP grew by a record quarterly amount in the three months to September, but failed to make up for its historic slump the previous quarter as Covid-19 brought large swathes of the economy to a halt. The UK economy grew by a record 15.5 per cent in the third quarter, the Office for National [...]
Housebuilder Vistry to reinstate dividend due to strong sales November 12, 2020 Vistry Group is planning to resume shareholder payouts next year as the housebuilder said demand for new homes had remained strong despite the second England-wide lockdown. Vistry, which was previously known as Bovis Homes, said it is on track to report full-year profit before tax at the top end of its expected range of £130m [...]
