‘The government aren’t the experts’: Liberal Democrats vow to push back controversial Pension Schemes Bill
Pubs, restaurants and salons beg for more financial help if reopening delayed by months February 22, 2021 Retail, leisure and hospitality businesses have warned the government that current coronavirus financial aid will not be enough to support the industries if they are to remain closed for several more months. The demands were published after it was reported over the weekend that pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and beauticians and non-essential retailers could be waiting [...]
British Airways boosted by £2.4bn loan and pensions deal as travel restrictions keep flights grounded February 22, 2021 British Airways boosted by £2.4bn liquidity raise as travel restrictions keep flights grounded
Transferwise rebrands to Wise ahead of London listing February 22, 2021 A decade after its launch Transferwise has rebranded to Wise ahead of its long-awaited IPO. The fintech, which was most recently valued by private investors at $5bn, has come a long way since its launch in 2011 when it initially offered money transfers. It says the new moniker reflects its growth. “Today our name catches [...]
FTSE 100 tumbles as inflation concerns mount February 22, 2021 London’s FTSE 100 tumbled 0.68 per cent today by midday, as higher commodity prices sparked fears of a spike in inflation. The fall was led by declines in consumer staples and industrials stocks, as investors awaited Boris Johnson’s plan for a phased easing of business restrictions. The prime minister will plot a path out of [...]
Why are UK mid caps in such an M&A sweetspot right now? February 22, 2021 It would be difficult to miss the fact that UK mid cap companies are attracting a renewed level of bid interest at present. So much so that, every morning, when I log in to my virtual workplace, I am mentally preparing myself to see a new headline about the next one to be bid for. [...]
Toby Carvery owner Mitchells & Butlers launches £351m ‘critical’ cash raise after liquidity deteriorates February 22, 2021 Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the owner of Toby Cavery and All Bar One, this morning launched a “critical” bid to raise £351m after the pub group’s liquidity “deteriorated significantly” during the pandemic. M&B said the open offer, which has been underwritten by majority shareholder Odyzean, will enable the company to reduce its unsecured debt and [...]
Recruitment firm RTC suffers drop in profit as pandemic takes toll February 22, 2021 London-listed recruitment firm RTC saw profit from operations drop by 45 per cent to £1.1m in 2020, as the pandemic struck industries across the world. Group revenue also fell by 14 per cent to £81.4m, while earnings per share hit 4.6p compared to 9.6p in 2019. Meanwhile, net cash increased to £1.9m and RTC reported [...]
Lockdown leaders: Aldi and M&S voted UK’s top in-store supermarkets February 22, 2021 Lockdown leaders: Aldi and M&S voted UK’s top in-store supermarkets
Golden goodbye: Rio Tinto bosses farewell 2020 with chunky payouts February 22, 2021 Golden goodbye: Rio Tinto bosses farewell 2020 with chunky payouts
Cake giant Finsbury Food has little cause for celebration as revenue drops sharply February 22, 2021 One of the UK’s biggest cake makers has seen group revenue fall by more than four per cent to £152.9m in the six months leading up to Christmas, the group announced this morning. Finsbury Food Group’s profit before tax also dropped 16.1 per cent to £7.4m as the company felt the effects of coronavirus lockdowns. [...]