Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over Black Widow streaming release July 30, 2021 Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney over its decision to release new superhero blockbuster Black Widow on its streaming platform. The actor, who stars in the new Marvel thriller, alleges that the media giant breached her contract when it offered the film on Disney Plus at the same time as in cinemas. Disney said there was [...]
Pearson hikes dividend as it swings back to profit July 30, 2021 Education giant Pearson has hiked its dividend for the first half of the year as it swung back to a profit following a torrid pandemic year. The FTSE 100 firm today reported an adjusted operating profit of £127m for the six months to the end of June, compared to a loss of £23m in the [...]
Chip shortage to cut Renault production by 200,000 cars this year July 30, 2021 Renault this morning warned that it would lose production of 200,000 cars this year as a result of the global semiconductor shortage. The figure is double the shortfall that the French car giant had previously forecast. However, despite the fall in production the firm said that it was on track to turn a profit for [...]
London Shepherd Neame pubs pull 60 per cent of revenue on pre-pandemic levels July 30, 2021 Shepherd Neame pubs in London have pulled 60 per cent of their revenue and total sales from 2019 levels before pandemic restrictions eased fully in July. The British brewery, which operates some 310 pubs across the Southeast, found that pubs outside London fared slightly better – raking in 84 per cent of revenue and total [...]
Porsche 911 GT3 Touring 2021 review: the subtle supercar July 30, 2021 The Porsche 911 GT3 Touring is back, combining an old-school naturally aspirated motor with sophisticated new suspension. Tim Pitt drives it.
Cineworld secures $200m loan boost as it gears up for bumper film slate July 30, 2021 Cineworld today said it had secured $200m (£143m) in incremental loans to help shore up its finances as the chain prepared for a bumper schedule of film releases later this year. The loan facility, which matures in May 2024, was secured from a group of Cineworld’s existing lenders. The company said it did not have [...]
Budget delay hinted at as Rishi Sunak fails to name day July 30, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has sparked speculation of delays to the budget, after failing to announce a date when publishing new forecasts, as is normally expected. Sunak said he had instructed the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to prepare to present an economic and fiscal forecast to parliament on October 27, according to reports. The forecast [...]
Dairy giant Arla struggles with trickling supply of lorry drivers July 30, 2021 Dairy giant Arla has been hit by the lorry driver shortage which has forced it to cut back on its deliveries to the shelves of most UK supermarkets. The milk producer typically supplies some 2,400 stores daily but has struggled with a trickling supply of drivers since April, its UK managing director Ash Amirahmadi said. [...]
Strict new cybersecurity requirements could burst China’s tech bubble July 30, 2021 Covid has driven ubiquitous growth in digital services in nations as geographically far apart as the UK and China. London has seen massive tech IPOs this year with listings of Deliveroo, Alphawave and Wise. However, the sharp rise in digitalisation has brought an inevitable need for businesses to protect their networks, as vast swathes of [...]
Two-tiered recovery? High Streets struggle as one-in-seven shops sit vacant July 30, 2021 A wave of administrations, closures and downsizing has decimated the UK high street, with new figures out this morning showing one in seven shops are sitting empty – and the problem is getting worse. In the second quarter of 2021, the overall vacancy rate increased to 14.5 per cent across the UK, from 14.1 per [...]
