FTSE 100 closes higher and US stocks rise on fresh stimulus hopes October 8, 2020 The FTSE 100 closed higher and Wall Street rose as renewed hopes of a US fiscal stimulus package lifted sentiment despite jobless claims remaining stubbornly high. Two days after calling off negotiations on a comprehensive fiscal aid bill, US President Donald Trump today said that talks with Congress have restarted. Read more: New US jobless [...]
London-based digital lender for the wealthy gets UK banking licence October 8, 2020 A London-based digital lender targeting Britain’s affluent savings market, has received a restricted banking licence from UK regulators. Monument, which is targeting professionals, entrepreneurs and investors with a net worth of £250,000 to £5m, received an “authorisation with restriction” licence this week. The fintech, which is planning to launch in 2021, said it will offer [...]
Almost a fifth of ALL US dollars were created this year October 8, 2020 About 20 per cent of all US dollars were created this year. The Federal Reserve has printed unprecedented amounts of money to support the coronavirus-stricken economy. It has sparked debates about inflation and helped asset prices soar. Data from the Fed shows that a broad measure of the stock of dollars, known as M2, rose [...]
Downing Street names Allegra Stratton as new press secretary October 8, 2020 Veteran journalist Allegra Stratton has been confirmed as Downing Street’s new press secretary. The newly-created role will see Stratton front No.10’s new daily televised briefings. Stratton currently serves as director of communications at the Treasury. She previously worked as journalist at ITV News, the BBC and The Guardian. The government’s new daily briefings – which [...]
More than 1,000 Deloitte consultants working on Test and Trace programme October 8, 2020 More than a thousand Deloitte consultants are reportedly working on the NHS Test and Trace programme, further highlighting the government’s reliance on the private sector through the pandemic. Department of Health documents released under a Freedom of Information request by Sky News reveal there are currently 1,114 consultants working on the scheme, equivalent to the [...]
WTO leader shortlist narrows to two as Liam Fox knocked out of race October 8, 2020 The World Trade Organisation will be a led by a woman for the first time in its history after it was announced two female candidates had reached the final round of selection. With the former international trade secretary Liam Fox now eliminated from the race, the contest is now between Yoo Myung-hee and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. [...]
Staff at British banks ‘forced to turn off NHS Covid tracing app at work’ October 8, 2020 Branch staff at some of the UK’s biggest banks say they are being put at risk by rules that require them to keep their phones in lockers at work, leaving them unable to use the NHS Covid-19 contact tracing app. Lloyds and TSB are among the lenders advising employees in branch to deactivate the contact [...]
Lardlord AEW presses on with Cineworld legal action despite closures October 8, 2020 Property firm AEW UK is reportedly going ahead with its legal action against beleaguered cinema chain Cineworld over unpaid rents, despite the closure of all of the firm’s theatres in the UK. AEW is suing Cineworld for around £200,000 of unpaid rent. The cinema operator has closed all of its UK and US cinemas after [...]
TalkTalk: Will a go-private deal ring the changes for the troubled telecoms firm? October 8, 2020 TalkTalk announced earlier today it had received a takeover bid from investment management firm Toscafund. The offer paves the way for a go-private deal for the London-based telecoms group. Investors reacted positively to the news, with shares in the company rising more than 19 per cent. The bid came as little surprise to analysts, who [...]
Railway passenger numbers fall to lowest levels since mid-1800s October 8, 2020 The number of people using the UK’s railways fell to the lowest levels in almost 200 years between April and June as the coronavirus lockdown decimated passenger demand. Just 35m journeys were made in the three month period, down more than 400m on the same quarter in 2019. According to the Office of Road and [...]
