Green Street buys property news site React News February 10, 2021 Green Street has bought React News, a property news site, in a move that will extend its audience’s access to coverage on real estate. Green Street said React News has a track record for breaking “the biggest stories in the market”, and covers news in the UK and Ireland and has a growing presence in [...]
Should football brace itself for a dementia claims crisis? February 10, 2021 Last week the Football Association’s head of medicine, Charlotte Cowie, announced the governing body was considering “likely risk factors” for dementia among players. The review comes as concern grows across contact sports around the potential link between neurodegenerative disorders and head trauma. The concern isn’t new – Alan Shearer’s 2017 documentary Dementia, Football and Me [...]
Social mobility could be the next hot-button issue – and smart firms would be wise to act now February 10, 2021 Here’s a game for your next tedious Zoom meeting. Take a look at those attentively nodding heads and ask yourself: how many went to an ordinary school? By ordinary I don’t mean a comprehensive so exceptional that the local estate agents memorise its catchment area. I mean the rest. The average to poor ones. The [...]
Dunelm reinstates dividend as pandemic continues to drive homeware sales February 10, 2021 Dunelm this morning announced it will reinstate its dividend as sales boomed – despite store closures in lockdown – due strong consumer demand for homewares. Total sales soared 23 per cent from £585m to £719.4m in the first half of the year and profit before tax was up 34.4 per cent from £83.6m to £112.4m. [...]
Heineken cuts 8,000 jobs in sobering company restructure February 10, 2021 Dutch brewer Heineken said it was cutting around 8,000 jobs following a review of its operations launched in October. The cuts will lead to a total restructuring charge of around €420m and savings on personnel expenses of around €350m. The brewer, which also owns brands Sol, Desperados and Amstel, has been hit hard by the [...]
Smurfit Kappa Group increases dividend payment February 10, 2021 Packaging company Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) has increased its final dividend to eight per cent, which the company said reflected the board’s confidence about SKG’s future. The packaging company has also repaid all money it received from government support schemes relating to the pandemic. SKG saw revenue of €8.5bn in its 2020 financial year, down [...]
WPP buys Brazilian software engineering firm DTI Digital February 10, 2021 Creative transformation company WPP has acquired DTI Digital, a leading digital innovation and software engineering firm. DTI’s digital services help clients become more connected to their customers, through the development of support systems such as data collection software. The Brazilian company scales up its expert development teams in response to client needs, comprising more than [...]
Redrow profit jumps as sales boosted by demand for regional properties during pandemic February 10, 2021 UK housebuilder Redrow reported a jump in revenue and profit in the first half of the year, as shifting customer demand for bigger homes outside of London during the pandemic buoyed its regional business. Redrow this morning posted profit after tax of £141m, up from £128m in the first half of last year. The development [...]
London leaders urge government to let TfL keep £500m in vehicle duty ahead of new bailout talks February 10, 2021 The leaders of the London Assembly’s political parties have come together to urge transport secretary Grant Shapps to allow the capital to keep the £500m it raises in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) every year. Led by Mayor Sadiq Khan, the leaders have written to the government asking that London receive its “fair share” of the [...]
Burnley and Asda are unlikely warnings of debt-driven troubles February 10, 2021 It has been a week of mixed messages. Not just on the release from lockdown, but on the economy. The Bank of England indicated that banks have been given six months to prepare for negative interest rates. The Monetary Policy Committee was quick to clarify that this did not mean that they would necessarily cut [...]
