Hotel Chocolat’s profits surge following brand appeal increase in key markets March 2, 2022 Chocolate brand Hotel Chocolat has registered a surge in profits following a brand appeal increase in key markets like the UK, Japan and the US. In the 26 weeks ended 26 December, the group’s profit before tax was up 56 per cent to £24.1m, while the underlying EBITDA grew 35 per cent, from £24.9m to [...]
City Moves: Who’s switching jobs in the Square Mile this week? March 2, 2022 City A.M.’s Millie Turner provides a roundup of the most important hires and job moves across the City, every morning. Email citymoves@cityam.com to be featured. Mazars Audit, tax and advisory firmMazars has bolstered its London office with an audit and assurance partner. Joining from Mazars in South Africa where he was head of audit, Sanjay Ranchhoojee brings some two decades experience to [...]
Boris Johnson’s political headache isn’t over as the threat to the Union rears its head again March 2, 2022 Boris Johnson has often been both the Houdini and the Heineken politician over the past decade. But if he survives the latest party-gate scandal he may unwittingly walk into a much bigger domestic political headache, with more than just his career on the line – the future of the union. Of course he will do [...]
The West’s tech export ban could crush Russia and Putin’s war against Ukraine March 2, 2022 AS UKRAINE was plunged into war its allies around the world hurried to put together punitive packages of sanctions in retaliation. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week announced he’s planning to bring forward a bill in Parliament that will effectively cut Russia off dual-use technologies critical for its defence sector. President Biden has also [...]
Chancellor fails to respond to MPs’ claims NI hike will stoke inflation March 2, 2022 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has not responded to accusations from a group of MPs that scrutinises the government’s fiscal plans that the national insurance hike will stoke inflation. In a response to the Treasury Select Committee’s report on the October budget, Sunak recognised the UK’s public finances are “vulnerable to changes in macroeconomic conditions such as [...]
Prime Video pumps £10m into UK TV and film career training as industry flourishes March 2, 2022 Amazon Prime Video have announced today that it will be investing £10m into a new training initiative to open up opportunities for TV and film across the UK. Under Prime Video Pathway , the streaming giant will partner with the National Film and Television School (NFTS) to establish a UK-wide academy programme as well as funding and supporting two [...]
UK living standards to drop at steepest rate since WW2 on Moscow energy supply fears March 1, 2022 The surge in energy prices triggered by the Russia-Ukraine conflict will drive inflation beyond eight per cent, generating the worst squeeze on household living standards since the second world war. Sustained elevated prices for oil and gas will heap an additional 1.5 percentage points on to the cost of living, resulting in a 2.2 per [...]
UK releases additional £80m aid to Ukraine March 1, 2022 The UK Government has released an additional £80m in aid to Ukraine, bringing Britain’s total humanitarian package to £120m. The funding comes after the UK announced in early February a £100m economic package to bolster the Ukrainian economy and reduce its reliance on Russian gas, adding £40m last weekend to help aid agencies respond to [...]
Centrica considers cutting ties with Gazprom following Ukraine invasion March 1, 2022 UK energy company Centrica is looking at cutting ties with Russian gas giant Gazprom following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The company, which signed an agreement with Gazprom in 2012 and later extended it until summer 2025, has now “entered into discussions with Gazprom about exiting this agreement,” without any impact on UK gas supplies. “We [...]
EU considers ports closure to Russian ships March 1, 2022 The EU is reportedly considering whether to follow the UK’s example and ban Russian ships from docking at its ports. According to the Danish foreign ministry, closing its ports had been considered during Sunday’s meeting when EU foreign ministers agreed to close the bloc’s airspace following the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. “Denmark is actively working [...]
