Lockdowns a blessing in disguise for the City and Canary Wharf: Strict travel restrictions slowed Brexit exodus of bankers December 23, 2021 Three lockdowns in England made relocations for bankers in the City and Canary Wharf impossible, thereby significantly slowing an exodus of finance professionals post-Brexit. Closed borders and harsh travel restrictions imposed on the general public earlier this year led to banks postponing the relocation of some of its professionals, according to professional services firm EY. [...]
End of year rush sees value of FCA fines increase fourfold to £618m. highest level in six years December 23, 2021 An end of year surge in fines has seen the value of FCA fines increase fourfold to £618m this year, up from £156m last year, the highest value of fines in six years, according to new data shared with City A.M. this morning. The increase in fines in 2021 was dominated by four blockbuster fines [...]
With 44 City buildings under offer, investment in Square Mile property expected to hit £8bn this year December 23, 2021 With £6.81bn of office assets having transacted by the end of November, and 44 buildings currently under offer, total 2021 City investment volumes will reach £8bn by the end of this year, according to real estate giant Savills. This assumes that the sale of 5 Broadgate, the UBS headquarters, understood to be under offer to [...]
Paddy Power and Betfair owner Flutter snaps up Italian gaming giant Sisal for cool £1.62bn December 23, 2021 Paddy Power and Betfair owner Flutter Entertainment has agreed a £1.62bn deal to buy Italian online gaming group Sisal. Flutter’s acquisition of Milan-based Sisal from buyout firm CVC Capital Partners will add to its existing presence in Italy through PokerStars and Betfair, giving it a combined online market share of 20 per cent. Sisal employs [...]
Last order: Number of pubs in England and Wales continues to fall as 400 more disappeared this year December 23, 2021 The number of pubs calling last orders flatlined despite the toll of the pandemic, with more than 400 pubs disappearing from communities in England and Wales, according to new figures. New analysis has revealed the number of pubs across England and Wales in 2021 was largely unchanged from last year. Analysis of official Government data [...]
Worst November since 1984 for UK car industry despite strong demand for electric vehicles December 23, 2021 Despite a surge in demand for battery electric vehicles, UK car production saw the worst November performance since 1984 last month The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said November UK car production was the fifth consecutive month of decline, dropping 28.7 per cent to 75,756 units, the worst figure seen in 37 years, [...]
UK, US and EU received more Covid vaccines in last six weeks than all of Africa throughout the whole of 2021 December 23, 2021 More doses of Covid-19 vaccines were sent to the UK, EU and US in the last six weeks than African countries received all year, according to new analysis shared with City A.M. this morning. Between 11 November and 21 December 2021, the EU, UK and US received 513m doses of vaccines while countries in Africa [...]
Covid researchers ecstatic: Christmas comes early as multiple studies confirm Omicron is mildest coronavirus variant so far and rapidly replaces deadly Delta December 23, 2021 Researchers in the UK are increasingly convinced the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus is much milder than the previous Delta mutation, and most likely the least lethal strain so far, thereby confirming earlier findings in South Africa. According to research by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA(, people who get infected with the Omicron variant [...]
Hit and run: Dutch in lockdown mesmerised by deceased wolf December 22, 2021 As lockdown boredom has taken over in the Netherlands, with practically every establishment apart from supermarkets and pharmacies closed until January 14, the Dutch are preoccupied with an entirely different matter altogether this morning: a deceased wolf. The unnamed male wolf (pictured above) was hit by a car late last night in a national park [...]
Exclusive: ‘No quick fixes’ in 2022 as Deutsche Bank’s global investment chief discusses inflation and central banks December 22, 2021 Inflation and central banks will be in focus next year. In fact, 2022 should be the year where central bank policy really starts to change gear, with other central banks to follow the Fed’s line on tightening, according to Christian Nolting, Global Chief Investment Officer at Deutsche Bank. “But there will be plenty of other regime [...]
