Unilever hit by rising commodity prices despite positive sales growth July 22, 2021 Consumer goods giant Unilever has drawn back its full-year operating margin forecast as commodity costs have surged in the past six months. The group, which owns Dove and Hellmann’s, turned over €25.8bn in its half-year results – just 0.3 per cent more than last year. However, the group has already raked in a further €13.5bn [...]
In the wake of Greensill: alternative finance has been tainted by the scandal and needs to claw back legitimacy July 22, 2021 The dust may be slowly settling on the Greensill scandal itself, but its ramifications are rumbling on for the alternative finance sector. Post launch, Greensill was feted in the community, receiving large investments as it grew and racking up numerous plaudits for transforming how business financing can evolve to better suit the payments exchange between [...]
Centrica profits lift as British Gas strike turns down the heat July 22, 2021 Centrica has taken home some £1bn in operating profits in the past six months, as industrial actions at subsidiary British Gas tones down. The group swung from a £338m statutory profit loss last year, it said in its result for the six months to 30 June. Shares sank 2.1 per cent in its afternoon trading, [...]
Croydon tram crash: Accidental death verdict a ‘total farce’ July 22, 2021 The victims of the Croydon tram crash died as a result of an accident, and were not unlawfully killed, the jury at the inquest into their deaths has concluded. Seven passengers died and a further 62 were injured when a tram derailed in south London on November 9 2016. Dane Chinnery, 19, Philip Seary, 57, [...]
Restore shares soar after shooting down Marlowe’s ‘unsolicited’ £743m bid July 22, 2021 Data management services firm Restore had its shares sent flying today after it rejected a £743m ‘unsolicited’ bid from business services and software company Marlowe. Restore rejected the offer almost immediately, adding that it is the second “unsolicited, highly conditional, non-binding” offer in just a few weeks. Shares in the data management firm rocketed 14.2 [...]
Arsenal and Man City scrap overseas trips as Covid-19 hits Premier League pre-season preparations July 22, 2021 Premier League clubs Arsenal and Manchester City have had their preparations for the new season disrupted by issues relating to Covid-19. Arsenal were forced to cancel a pre-season trip to the US to compete in the Florida Cup alongside Everton, Inter Milan and Colombian side Millonarios. The North London outfit returned a number of positive [...]
Commuter rail services axed due to staff self-isolating July 22, 2021 Commuter rail operators have today said that they will reduce the number of services they run from next week as a result of staff shortages due to workers being forced to isolate. Govia Thameslink, which runs both the Thameslink and Southern franchises, confirmed that it would run a reduced weekday service from Monday. The firm [...]
China locks down city the size of London after 17 Covid cases found July 22, 2021 China has locked down a city of some 9.3m people, a similar population to that of London, after just 17 cases of Covid-19 were found. It comes as China reported its highest daily number of new cases since January on Tuesday and shot down plans to investigate the Covid-19’s origin. A senior Chinese health official [...]
ECB holds rates at record low to fuel inflation July 22, 2021 The European Central Bank has kept interest rates at a record low in a bid to stimulate higher price growth to help it reach its two per cent inflation target. The central bank of the 19 nations that share the euro said it intends to keep rates at historic lows for longer than first estimated. [...]
Saudi Aramco ‘faces $50m ransom’ after data leak July 22, 2021 Saudi Aramco is reportedly facing a $50m (£36.3m) ransom demand after a data leak from one of its contractors. The world’s largest oil firm confirmed in a statement that it “recently became aware of the indirect release of a limited amount of company data which was held by third-party contractors.” Aramco added: “We confirm that [...]
