Halifax: UK house prices suffer longest fall since 2010 July 7, 2020 UK house prices fell for the fourth month in a row in June for the first time since 2010, according to Halifax data released today. Unlike rival Nationwide, which found the value of homes shrank for the first time on an annual basis in June, Halifax recorded a 2.5 per cent-year-on-year rise. But as the [...]
All Saints creditors approve restructuring plan July 7, 2020 High street retailer All Saints will switch to turnover-based rents after the company’s creditors gave the green light to its restructuring plan. All Saints launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) in June after the coronavirus pandemic forced it to close stores around the world causing sales to dive. The agreement will allow All Saints to [...]
Workers forced to pay extra tax for coronavirus tests July 7, 2020 Workers will be forced to pay income tax on coronavirus tests if their employers order them, it has been revealed. Newly released documents from the Treasury show that employees will face a “taxable benefit in kind” when their employers order the tests, meaning they are treated as extra workplace benefits. As workplaces will have to [...]
Ai: The Competitive Advantage July 7, 2020 In recent years, it seems most discussions centered around technology and business innovation inevitably end up debating the future potential of Artificial Intelligence. While the longer term upside is seemingly limitless, and there is much debate about what the future of what AI might look like, what’s less understood is how AI works today – [...]
Zoom and Linkedin join tech giants in pausing requests from Hong Kong July 7, 2020 Microsoft’s Linkedin and Zoom are the latest tech companies to reveal they will be pausing all requests to review user data from authorities in Hong Kong, in light of new laws in the region. Zoom said it has paused processing of all data requests from and related to Hong Kong, while Linkedin said it has [...]
DEBATE: Do we need a government rescue plan to save UK universities? July 7, 2020 In light of the new IFS report, do we need a government rescue plan to save UK universities? Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, says YES. It has been months since our own research identified a funding black hole for universities of around £2.5bn in income lost from tuition fees and [...]
Brexit: David Frost and Michel Barnier to have Downing Street dinner July 7, 2020 The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator David Frost will have dinner with his EU counterpart Michel Barnier at 10 Downing Street tonight in the lead-up to the next round of trade talks. A Downing Street spokesperson said the two men would meet tonight in an informal setting to discuss some of the negotiations’ most difficult sticking [...]
Peter Thiel’s Palantir confidentially files to go public July 7, 2020 Data analytics firm Palantir said it has confidentially filed paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to go public. Palantir is planning public listing of the Class A common stock, but has not disclosed the size of the listing. It is not known whether Palantir will pursue a traditional initial public offering or [...]
Pandemic sees Plus500 revenue surge in lockdown July 7, 2020 Contracts for difference firm Plus500 had a record number of active customers in the first half of 2020, leading to an almost fourfold increase in revenue. The trading update also revealed that Plus500 has hired David Zruia will be the company’s permanent chief executive after holding the role on an interim basis since April. The Israel-based [...]
Return of hospitality fails to drive retail footfall on opening weekend July 7, 2020 The reopening of pubs and restaurants at the weekend failed to spark a surge in retail footfall, according to the latest data. As pubs and restaurants reopened in England on so-called Super Saturday, footfall at shops increased 9.2 per cent compared to the previous week. However, this was the smallest week-on-week rise for any day [...]
