Week ahead: City’s gaze turns to fresh inflation figures February 13, 2022 All eyes in the City this week will be on fresh inflation figures as investors brace for another shocker of a print. Most economists expect inflation to firm even further, jumping to 5.5 per cent in January from 5.4 per cent in December. That would still leave the cost of living at around a 30-year [...]
UK has reserve diesel supplies if Russia turns off the tap, government says February 13, 2022 The government has moved to assure people that it has wells of reserve diesel supplies in the event that Russia shuts off its supply to the UK. Russia supplies 18 per cent of the UK’s diesel, despite being less reliant on the country for other forms of gas compared to other European countries. The UK [...]
US Fed to embark on fastest tightening cycle in recent history, warns Goldman Sachs February 13, 2022 The US Federal Reserve will embark on the fastest tightening of monetary policy in recent history this year to tame runaway stateside inflation, Wall Street analysts are betting. Chair Jerome Powell and co will lead the charge against the soaring cost of living across the pond by hiking interest rates seven times in 2022, according [...]
Hong Kong hit hardest by global collapse of travel as tough restrictions see 95 per cent drop in visitors February 13, 2022 The global pandemic has hit Hong Kong’s travel sector harder than any other country in the world, as the country’s tough travel restrictions have seen a 95 per cent drop in the number of visitors. The value generated by Hong Kong’s travel sector dropped 75 per cent between 2019 and 2020, analysis from Compare the [...]
How investor ‘tourism’ in biotech industry can both bruise it – and supercharge it February 13, 2022 The pandemic trigged an “astonishing” surge in the biotech industry, with red-hot stock valuations and a flood of IPOs. The industry caught the eye of retail investors and a series of lockdown measures leaving many people homebound with spare time and easy access to online trading platform, saw many dive into these ‘on trend’ stocks. [...]
Just Eat chief says Nasdaq departure doesn’t spell Grubhub sale February 13, 2022 Just Eat chief Jitse Groen has said that the firm’s decision to de-list from the Nasdaq should not be taken as an indication of plans to sell its Grubhub subsidiary. The firm first launched in US markets in June last year as it snapped up US delivery firm Grubhub for $7.3bn, but said it would [...]
Soaring oil prices lead to bumper petrol profits at Britain’s biggest supermarkets February 13, 2022 Soaring oil prices have led to bumper profits on petrol sales at Britain’s biggest supermarkets, revealed fresh figures released yesterday. Profit margins on petrol sales have nearly tripled since 2019 at the big four food retailers, according to data from RAC. Margins widened to 8.6 per cent last month, up sharply from the 3.2 per [...]
LV= seeks to reassure members after Royal London merger talks collapse February 13, 2022 Mutual insurer LV= has told members it was wrong to say that it could not survive without being taken over by Bain Capital, after plans for its merger with Royal London collapsed last week. In a letter to LV=’s 1.1m members, the firm said LV=’s Board no longer believes that merging with another mutual insurer [...]
Morrisons’ owners look to ease fears of a shift away from traditional business model February 13, 2022 The private equity owners of Morrisons have looked to ease investors’ fears that they would renege on commitments to the firm’s traditional business model, as they face a mounting interest bill from loans.
Private equity firm readies a bid for oil refinery Stanlow February 13, 2022 A private equity firm is readying a bid for beleaguered British oil refinery Stanlow as concerns grow over the security of the UK’s fuel supply.