Brazil’s Buffett-backed Nubank eyes $55bn valuation ahead of US IPO August 26, 2021 Brazil’s digital bank Nubank is reportedly eyeing a $55.4bn valuation ahead of its initial public offering (IPO), as Brazilians look beyond traditional lenders. If Brazil’s most prominent digital bank is listed at a market cap greater than its largest tradition bank Itau Unibanco, Nubank would shoot up the ranks towards international high flyers like the [...]
Watches of Switzerland poaches Rank Group’s finance boss August 26, 2021 Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casino owner Rank Group this morning confirmed its chief financial officer is heading to Watches of Switzerland. Bill Floydd tendered his resignation in order to take up the same role at the FTSE-listed luxury retailer. Rank CEO John O’Reilly said Floydd “helped secure the group’s liquidity and future through the pandemic [...]
Landlords still losing rental income from pandemic August 26, 2021 One in five landlords are planning to sell property because of the pandemic’s financial impact, according to a survey. More than half (51 per cent) of landlords are still losing rental income as a result of the pandemic, research from landlord insurance provider Simply Business has shown. Some 47 per cent of landlords said they [...]
West watches on as Bank of Korea raises interest rates August 26, 2021 The Bank of Korea is raising interest rates in a shift away from pandemic era monetary policy as the country faces spiralling public debt. The interest rate climbed 25 basis points from a rate of 0.5 per cent to 0.75 per cent following a 10 per cent increase in household debt and a 14.3 per [...]
Car production tumbles afresh amid supply and labour shortages August 26, 2021 Car production tumbled in the UK for the first time since February as the combination of global chip shortages, workers being forced to isolate, and summer shutdowns jammed up factory lines. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), just 53,438 cars were made in July, down 37.6 per cent on the year [...]
Uber UK boss to meet GMB leader after driver representation deal August 26, 2021 Uber’s UK boss is due to meet with the new leader of the GMB union in a bid to settle their differences about the ride-hailing app’s working practices. Jamie Heywood, Uber’s UK regional manager, will meet with Gary Smith, months after the firm took the decision to recognise the union, the BBC said. Under that [...]
Big Tech vows to ramp up cybersecurity after White House summit August 26, 2021 Major US tech firms have pledged to ramp up their cybersecurity defences following a White House summit yesterday. Google, Microsoft, Amazon and IBM were among the companies to make multi-billion-dollar commitments as President Joe Biden called on top chief executives to “raise the bar on cybersecurity”. During a meeting alongside his members of his Cabinet, [...]
Staff shortages leave consumer facing businesses pessimistic about recovery August 26, 2021 Consumer facing businesses, such as bars and restaurants, have a pessimistic outlook about their economic recovery, according to a CBI survey. In the three months to August, optimism about the general business situation fell from +47 per cent in the previous quarter to -17 per cent despite an uptick in sales volume. The biggest concerns [...]
PureGym plots more UK expansion as pent-up demand pays off August 26, 2021 PureGym begins to reap the rewards of pent-up demand as all of its 506 gyms have once again opened their doors, pushing the group to expand. The gym operator recorded a revenue for June at 99 per cent of the levels seen in the June before the pandemic, in the quarter ending 30 June 2021, [...]
Mike Ashley’s successor offered £100m potential pay package August 26, 2021 Michael Murray, who will succeed Mike Ashley as the chief executive of Frasers Group, could receive shares worth £100m under a proposed pay package. The pay package would be linked to the retailer’s stock price performance, Sky News has reported. The company’s share price would have to top £15 for 30 consecutive days before October [...]