Diversified Gas and Oil sticks with dividend as firm prepares for main market move May 4, 2020 Diversified Gas and Oil today confirmed it would stick with its dividend despite unprecedented volatility in global oil markets as it prepares for its move to the main market of the London Stock Exchange later this month. In an update on its first quarter performance, the US-based firm said it had maintained production levels in [...]
Startups’ coronavirus Future Fund is a ‘bad deal’ for founders May 4, 2020 The government’s flagship support scheme for startups hit by coronavirus, the Future Fund, has been described as “simply not good enough” and “a bad deal” by one of the UK’s leading tech entrepreneurs. Priya Lakhani, founder and CEO of education technology company Century, said the terms under which money could be accessed through the scheme are [...]
Telefonica confirms talks to merge O2 with Virgin Media May 4, 2020 O2’s Spanish parent company has confirmed reports that it is in discussions with Liberty Global over a potential merger with Virgin Media. Telefonica this morning said it has just begun talks with Virgin Media owner Liberty, which is led by telecoms billionaire John Malone, over a tie-up between the British mobile operator and cable company. [...]
Government outlines workplace rules for UK companies to relax lockdown May 4, 2020 Companies must limit hot desking and introduce protective screens once the UK lockdown eases and people return to offices, a government document says. Staff canteens will stay closed while ministers will push employers to encourage home-working and stagger shift times, the draft document reportedly suggests. The business department has drawn up seven such documents that [...]
Asian stocks slip as Donald Trump blames virus on China May 4, 2020 Asian stocks slipped this morning as renewed tensions between the US and China over the origin of coronavirus stunted optimism about the lifting of lockdown measures. With China and Japan on holiday, other Asia-Pacific shares fell 2.5 per cent, according to an MSCI index. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng returned from a two-session holiday to suffer [...]
Taiwan deserves a seat at the WHO table May 4, 2020 As the UK battles the Covid-19, there are lessons that can be drawn from the experience and success that Taiwan has had in containing the pandemic. At first glance, Taiwan would appear to be a potential hotspot. Approximately 850,000 Taiwanese currently work and live in China, with Taiwan experiencing its first Covid-19 case as early [...]
Coronavirus: There are opportunities for wily – and brave – investors May 4, 2020 Britain’s investors could be forgiven for feeling desperate in the current crisis. They have faced a triple whammy from world markets, governments and companies. Not only have they seen the value of their portfolios fall by up to 20%, but with company after company cancelling dividends, their income has fallen by half. Heavyweights such as [...]
The oil war risks becoming a three-way suicide pact May 4, 2020 I have long been a devotee of the films of the great Sergio Leone, especially his Spaghetti Westerns. On a laughably threadbare budget, the great director made a virtue of his technical limitations, creating nothing less than a whole new look and feel in filmmaking. The climaxes of Leone films are always a treat, perhaps [...]
The City View podcast, from City A.M., with Priya Lakhani OBE May 4, 2020 In this episode, Christian is joined by Priya Lakhani, founder and CEO of Century – an AI-powered education platform. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Priya, who served as a business adviser to the coalition government, gives a candid and forthright assessment of the government’s support packages for businesses. [...]
Business confidence hits record low as finance chiefs predict 20 per cent revenue drop May 4, 2020 Business confidence fell by the largest amount on record during the first quarter, according to a survey of chief financial officers published today. In the first quarter, 84 per cent of finance bosses said they are less optimistic about the prospects for their company than they were three months ago the survey from Deloitte found. [...]
