England and Wales record highest Covid deaths since March August 24, 2021 Data published today shows that England and Wales recorded 571 Covid-related deaths in the week ending August 13, the highest in five months. According to data from the ONS the figure is the highest since the week ending March 26 when coronavirus was mentioned on 719 death certificates. In the week ending August 13, Covid-related [...]
CPP revenue climbs ten per cent in half year results August 24, 2021 CPP Group, a multinational personal protection and insurance provider, has announced solid results for the first half of the year. Group revenue climbed by ten per cent year on year to £66.4m while EBITDA from operations increased by 37 per cent to £2.6m. After seeing a loss for the period of £0.7m in the first [...]
Visa enters the NFT market with CryptoPunk purchase August 23, 2021 Payments giant Visa has made a splash in the NFT market with the purchase of a collectable CryptoPunk avatar. Last week, Visa snapped up one of only 3,840 female CryptoPunks for just shy of $150,000 (£109,363). The avatar featured green clown eye makeup, red lipstick and a mohawk adding to its rarity. Cuy Sheffield, head [...]
UK government secures deal for 35 million Pfizer vaccines August 23, 2021 The UK government has agreed a contract for 35 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to “future proof” the country from the threat of Covid-19. The deal, announced today, will ensure that more vaccines are available in the second half of 2022 to protect against current and future variants of the virus. Health and Social [...]
Deloitte: digital assets seen as strong fiat alternative August 23, 2021 Deloitte’s Global Blockchain Survey 2021 has revealed that digital assets are becoming a major priority for the financial services industry (FSI). The survey, which polled a sample of 1,280 respondents worldwide, found that 76 per cent of respondents thought that digital assets will be “a strong alternative to or replacement for fiat currencies in the [...]
Tax and accounting bodies call for government to delay reporting reforms August 23, 2021 UK tax and accounting bodies have urged the government to delay reforms to the tax system which would affect how self-employed people and businesses report their profits. In a letter sent to Treasury financial secretary Jesse Norman, representatives from five tax and accounting bodies, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales and [...]
Three quarters of UK professional investors to increase crypto exposure August 23, 2021 A survey has found that the UK is one of the most attractive markets for hedge fund managers focussed on crypto and digital asset funds. The research, commissioned by Europe’s largest digital asset management fund, Nickel Digital, found that 74 per cent of UK institutional investors and wealth managers plan to increase their exposure to [...]
PayPal launches cryptocurrency services for UK customers August 23, 2021 Online payments giant PayPal has announced its UK customers will be able to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrencies using its platform. In an update being rolled out this week customers will be able to acquire a selection of four crypto currencies – Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash – using their Paypal accounts. Users will [...]
Tony Blair’s son Euan raises £65m in funding round for start up August 23, 2021 An education start up founded by Euan Blair, son of former prime minister Tony Blair, has secured £65m in funding. Founded in 2016, Multiverse provides school leavers with apprenticeships and training, helping to secure people work in companies such as Google, Unilever, Facebook and Morgan Stanley. The investment is understood to be part of upcoming [...]
Argo Blockchain prepares for Nasdaq listing August 20, 2021 Argo blockchain, the only London listed crypto mining company, is planning to sell shares on the US-based Nasdaq exchange. In a filing made to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the company today confirmed its intention to list American Depositary Shares (ADS) on the Nasdaq exchange. According to the filing, Jeffries and Barclays will be [...]