Government refuses to commit releasing probe into Chinese takeover of UK chip plant July 15, 2021 The government has refused to commit to releasing a review into the takeover of the UK’s largest chip plant by a Chinese-owned semiconductor firm. Boris Johnson announced last week that his national security adviser would probe the takeover of Newport Wafer Fab, after his government initially said there were no grounds to intervene in the [...]
High risk clients: Furloughed workers and self-employed with Covid grants refused mortgages July 15, 2021 Furloughed workers and self-employed people who have received government grants during the pandemic have been refused mortgages by some of the UK’s major banks. This comes as some brokers argued that banks see people who have received Covid-related grants as high risk. Two of the UK’s biggest high street banks, NatWest and the Royal Bank [...]
Exclusive: Consumers most worried about climate change despite government pledges July 15, 2021 Despite the recent mountain of pledges from governments and businesses, consumers have identified climate change as the issue about which they are least optimistic, City A.M. can reveal. A new sustainability survey from Public First and Brodie shows that in the UK, “climate anxiety” is at the top of customers concerns, with a net optimism [...]
Two weeks to go: Square Mile SMEs urged to take advantage of City Corporation financial support before deadline July 15, 2021 The City of London Corporation has today (15 July) called on qualifying SMEs based in the Square Mile to apply to its Covid Business Recovery Fund before the scheme closes on 30 July. The funding pot offers up to £50 million in support for SMEs which contribute to the Square Mile’s vibrancy at street level, and which directly provide services to [...]
Visit one Scottish distillery where you can sleep, and one where you can eat July 15, 2021 Just when you thought Scotland had run out of islands to make whisky on, the Isle of the Roe Deer has released its inaugural whisky. Isle of Raasay Distillery also became the first distillery to offer accommodation, located within sniffing distance of the mash tuns of this state of art distillery, housed inside an old [...]
SoftBank injects $1.7bn into South Korea’s largest travel app ahead of IPO July 15, 2021 SoftBank’s Vision Fund II is injecting around $1.7bn in South Korea’s largest travel app ahead of its initial public offering and a worldwide travel boom. Seoul-based startup Yanolja, South Korea’s largest travel app said it plans to use the funds to expand geographically and to widen its digital technologies in the travel and hospitality industry. [...]
Sustainability rank ripped from Korean palm oil company Korindo July 15, 2021 Korean palm oil giant Korindo has been booted from the global Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) following a breach of regulations. The FSC and Korindo had agreed to address allegations made against the palm oil company in 2017 by Mighty Earth, an environmental campaigning organisation, that the firm was deliberately setting fire to 30,000 hectares of [...]
Gresham House assets grow steadily as ESG appetite endures July 15, 2021 Gresham House reported steady growth in the first half of the year in a trading update this morning, as interest in ESG investment continued to push its assets under management higher. The asset manager reported a 19 per cent rise in AUM to £4.7bn, with organic growth of £457m driven by its real estate division, [...]
Bitcoin market spots a green light at the end of a long and dark tunnel July 15, 2021 There’s a splash of green across the boards this morning, as most major cryptocurrencies recover from recent losses.
CMA slaps pharma firms with £260m in fines for hiking prices for NHS July 15, 2021 The UK’s competition watchdog has slapped drug companies with fines totalling more than £260m for hiking prices for the NHS. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said prices of “life-saving” hydrocortisone tablets had risen by over 10,000 per cent. The price hike equated to the NHS being charged £80 for a single pack of tablets [...]
