Ant Group gets final approval for world’s biggest stock market float October 21, 2020 China’s Ant Group today won the final nod from regulators for its $35bn (£26.6bn) initial public offering, clearing the way for what could be the largest-ever stock market debut. The fintech giant, which is backed by Chinese ecommerce group Alibaba, today won approval from the country’s top securities watchdog for its registration in Shanghai. Ant [...]
Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial to continue despite participant death October 21, 2020 Trials of Oxford University and Astrazeneca’s [LON:AZN] coronavirus vaccine will continue despite the death of a participant in Brazil. A spokesperson for the university said that a review of the death had not revealed any safety concerns. “Following careful assessment of this case in Brazil, there have been no concerns about safety of the clinical [...]
Robert Zemeckis The Witches is a dark Dahl triumph October 21, 2020 Readers over a certain age will remember losing sleep over the 1990 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book The Witches, in which Anjelica Huston donned hideous prosthetics that are still unsettling to this day. It perfectly captured the spirit of Roald Dahl’s storytelling, which always towed the line between wonder and abject terror. Robert Zemeckis (Back [...]
HSBC ‘to cut 300 jobs’ in overhaul of UK commercial banking October 21, 2020 HSBC has reportedly launched a restructuring of its commercial banking business in the UK that will lead to around 300 job cuts. The cuts are part of a wider strategy overhaul announced by the banking giant earlier this year as it seeks to slash costs and reinvigorate its business in the face of global economic [...]
Take a break in Sweden’s magical Arctic Bath Hotel October 21, 2020 Sweden is currently in the UK’s travel corridor “green list”, meaning you can travel without having to self-isolate for two weeks when you return. So why not venture into the wilderness of Swedish lapland to forget about the woes back home, staying in Arctic Bath, one of the world’s most unique hotels. The weekend Set [...]
Rail franchises paid out £90m in delay refunds last year October 21, 2020 Rail franchises paid out nearly £90m to passengers in refunds for delays last year, new figures from the Department for Transport showed today. In total, the 27 franchises paid out £89.4m, £10m more than they did the prior year. Nearly a quarter of that figure came from London North Eastern Rail, which gave passengers £21.4m [...]
Brexit: UK-EU trade talks back on after week of sparring October 21, 2020 Brexit trade talks between the UK and EU are back on just days after Boris Johnson walked away from negotiations. A statement from the government said “we are ready to welcome the EU team to London to resume negotiations later this week” in a bid to get a deal done before the end of the [...]
UK to increase sentence for market abuse in post-Brexit financial regulation October 21, 2020 The UK is planning to increase the maximum prison sentence for market abuse from seven to 10 years, as the government sets out a roadmap for financial regulation after the end of the Brexit transition period. The government is also proposing introducing “more proportionate” regulation of investment firms and giving the City watchdog greater powers [...]
Real estate investment firms launch £100m self-storage partnership October 21, 2020 Two real estate investment firms have teamed up to launch a £100m self-storage joint venture, as investors target alternative properties amid uncertainty for office and retail assets. UK-focused real estate fund manager Moorfield Group has entered into a partnership with Stor-Age, a South African self storage Real Estate Investment Trust, which owns Storage King. The [...]
MPs demand update on audit reform progress from business secretary October 21, 2020 An influential committee of MPs has written to business secretary Alok Sharma to demand an update on the government’s progress implementing audit reforms following a series of high-profile accounting scandals. In a letter dated yesterday, Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee chair Darren Jones asked Sharma to outline which reforms recommended by two recent [...]
