Softbank-backed blank cheque firm eyes $200m stock market float January 29, 2021 A blank cheque firm backed by a top Softbank executive is looking to raise as much as $200m (£146m) in an initial public offering. LDH Growth Corp I, led by Softbank chief operating officer Marcelo Claure and controlled by an affiliate of the Japanese conglomerate, today said it planned to sell 20m shares units of [...]
What next for Biden’s climate and social agenda? January 29, 2021 Joe Biden ran on one of the most progressive platforms the US has ever seen, with climate ambition at its heart. His victory will result in a sea-change in US climate ambition. That said, the narrow margin of victory will pose challenges for the more ambitious elements of his agenda. Below we assess the policy [...]
China will no longer recognise Hong Kong citizens’ British overseas passports January 29, 2021 China said today it will “no longer recognise” British National Overseas (BNO) passports for Hong Kong citizens as the UK prepares to welcome those fleeing the National Security Law. A foreign ministry spokesperson for the Chinese government said: “From January 31, China will no longer recognise the so-called BNO passport as a travel document and [...]
WandaVision Episode 4 review – Marvel fills in the gaps. January 29, 2021 Up to this point, WandaVision has revelled in the enigmatic nature of its plot. We’ve been given only threads of what is happening, and who’s behind it. Last week ‘Geraldine’ (Teyonah Parris) cracked Wanda’s reality by mentioning that Wanda’s (Elizabeth Olsen) brother was killed by Ultron. Infuriated, Wanda threw Geraldine out of their sitcom world [...]
No-and-low alcohol spirits are here to stay, so do it in style January 29, 2021 Dry January has always been a challenge, but 2021 has made going sans alcohol even harder. If you have stuck with it this far – through Zoom meetings, home-schooling, and an inescapable sense of existential dread – then you deserve a treat in this final weekend of the month. We’re already well-versed in low- or [...]
Shortlist announced for London’s top environmental awards January 29, 2021 The City of London Corporation has revealed the 10 Square Mile businesses shortlisted in the capital’s top environmental gongs – the Clean City Awards. The scheme, now in its 26th year, rewards businesses leading the way in improving their environmental performance – be it by reducing plastic use, taking action to cut carbon emissions or by boosting recycling. [...]
EU securities watchdog calls for stricter regulation on greenwashing January 29, 2021 The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) said today EU rules are needed to regulate ratings on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects of companies to avoid investors being deceived by “greenwashing”. Asset managers use ESG ratings to make “green” environmentally conscious investment decisions. Greenwashing refers to inaccurate claims that investments are sustainable and [...]
Lookers shares boom as stock finally readmitted to trading January 29, 2021 Shares in long-troubled car dealership Lookers rose 90 per cent today as the firm’s stock was finally readmitted to trading. The FCA suspended shares in the auto firm back in July after failing to publish its full year results for 2019. The discovery of a £19m hole in its figures threw the firm into disarray [...]
Facebook to trial new ad control tools to tackle harmful content January 29, 2021 Facebook is to build and trial new tools that will give brands greater control over what content appears alongside their ads. The social media platform said its new advertiser topic exclusion controls will initially be trialled with a small group of advertisers. The new tools mark efforts by Facebook to reassure advertisers amid concerns their [...]
Challenger audit firms prep for forced audit separation January 29, 2021 Challenger audit firms are readying themselves for audit separation, a requirement not yet expected of them, but one they see as inevitable in the future. Last summer audit regulator the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) ordered the Big Four firms – Deloitte, KPMG, PwC and EY – to separate their audit units from the rest of their [...]
