When will the government stop hanging bars out to dry? October 23, 2020 “Dreadful evening, so many bookings cancelled, sent half the staff home” “So many cancellations after new announcements — no way we could police it.” “Much, much lower takings, any good momentum we had is gone.” This is the real, unfiltered voice of the hospitality industry. These direct quotes from our bars’ manager reports last Saturday [...]
Deal or no deal, reports of London’s death are greatly exaggerated October 23, 2020 London has for many years enjoyed the reputation as the world’s leading financial centre. Only New York has ever come close to challenging the capital’s crown — and since 2015 London has generally topped all the rankings. In that time, though, every paean to London’s preeminence has carried the gloomy caveat: “until Brexit”. The received [...]
The US Election countdown – don’t just brace for volatility. Trade it October 23, 2020 If 2020 hasn’t been turbulent enough already, the US election is well and truly underway. As the future of the country’s leadership remains uncertain, financial markets are braced for further volatility. The “strength of the U.S. dollar” is a popular topic within the campaign messaging of both candidates this year. Ultimately, that strength is based [...]
A third of Brits worried about paying their rent or mortgage October 23, 2020 Nearly a third of Brits are worried about paying their rent or mortgage at the moment, a new survey has found. Polling conducted by Ipsos Mori showed that 30 per cent of people in the UK have such concerns at the moment, while 31 per cent are worried about making payments in a year’s time. [...]
Wall Street closes higher on hopes that stimulus deal is close October 22, 2020 Wall Street closed higher tonight after a day of topsy-turvy trading as investors bet on the prospect of a new stimulus deal being agreed between Congress and the White House. The Dow Jones rose 0.5 per cent to close at 28,364 points, the S&P 500 shut up the same margin at 3,453 points and the [...]
US airlines continue to bleed cash as wait for stimulus package goes on October 22, 2020 US airlines laid out the continued cost of the coronavirus pandemic today as the wait for a new stimulus package from federal authorities went on. American Airlines fell to a loss of $2.4bn (£1.8bn) in the period from July to September, its third consecutive quarterly loss. The Texas-headquartered carrier revenue fell 73 per cent compared [...]
Hotel giant Accor sees revenue plunge two-thirds as recovery stalls October 22, 2020 Hotel giant Accor, which owns the Mercure, Ibis and Novotel chains, said its revenue slumped nearly two-thirds in the third quarter compared to last year. Europe’s biggest hotel group posted revenue €329m (£297m), down 63.7 per cent on the same period last year. Accor said that it had seen recovery across all of its businesses [...]
US Senate committee votes to subpoena Twitter and Facebook bosses October 22, 2020 Top US lawmakers today voted to subpoena the chief executives of Twitter and Facebook after both platforms blocked controversial tabloid stories about Joe Biden’s son. Republicans on the US Senate judiciary committee approved the motion to haul in Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg unopposed today. Democrats on the committee had boycotted the meeting over the [...]
Mark’s Bar reopens in the basement of 1 Lombard Street October 22, 2020 Mark Hix made a surprise return to London this summer, joining Soren Jessen at 1 Lombard Street as the City institution’s new Director of Food and Drink. But that isn’t the only surprise Hix had up his sleeve. This month another of his ventures has reappeared: the speak-easy-style Mark’s Bar, which was once a staple [...]
Boris Johnson on the backfoot on local government rows, funding delays October 22, 2020 Boris Johnson has been forced to defend the government’s efforts in providing support for businesses under new Covid restrictions and its dealings with regional governments. Rishi Sunak was forced today to extend its support for businesses under Tier 2 restrictions, with more than £10bn spent to support the private sector. Businesses will only need to [...]
