Coronavirus: European airlines continue to tap governments for aid April 28, 2020 European airlines continued to tap their respective governments for state aid in order to survive the coronavirus crisis, which has shut down air travel across the world. German state carrier Lufthansa is still in negotiations with federal authorities over a €9bn loan deal, despite overnight reports that an agreement had been reached. Shares swiftly climbed [...]
Plans to ease UK lockdown unlikely to be announced this week April 28, 2020 Downing Street has quashed suggestions that Boris Johnson will this week outline how the government plans to ease its coronavirus social distancing measures. Multiple media outlets said this morning that Johnson was drawing up plans for the next stage of the coronavirus lockdown and would set out the next steps by Friday. However, the Prime [...]
Coronavirus: UK retailers have worst month since 2008 April 28, 2020 UK retailers suffered the biggest fall in sales since the financial crisis in 2008 in the first two months of April as coronavirus lockdown measures battered the sector, a survey has shown. Every part of the retail sector was hit hard this month, according to the CBI’s distributive trades survey. Even grocers and specialist food [...]
Oil prices plunge: WTI nears $10 as storage fears increase April 28, 2020 Oil prices continued to slide this morning as traders rushed to withdraw their money from upcoming futures delivery contracts amid fears they will have nowhere to put the substance. With storage space running severely scarce around the world, exchange-traded funds are trying to avoid a similar situation to last week’s price crash by selling out [...]
Travis Perkins revenue down two thirds due to coronavirus April 28, 2020 Building materials supplier Travis Perkins suffered a sharp drop in revenue in April after it closed its branches in response to the UK’s coronavirus lockdown. Total revenue in the first three weeks of the month was about one third of the same period last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company shut all of [...]
UK sets new record for longest period without coal-powered electricity April 28, 2020 The UK has this morning set a new record for the longest period without using electricity generated from coal since pre-industrial times. As of midday, the country has been without coal power for 18 days and 12 hours, the longest period since the Industrial Revolution. The previous record was set on 4 June last year, [...]
HSBC CEO: Applications for coronavirus loans ‘now easier’ to process April 28, 2020 HSBC’s CEO today blamed the sheer demand for coronavirus loans for banks’ apparent slowness to lend out cash to struggling small businesses. Noel Quinn said banks have seen a “significant volume” of applications for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) so far. And he rejected the notion that a full government guarantee of such [...]
Coronavirus pandemic ‘worse than financial crisis’ for UK retail sector April 28, 2020 The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the high street has been worse than the aftermath of the financial crisis, experts said as UK retail health plunged to record lows. The retail health index by KPMG and Ipsos fell three points to 71 in the first quarter of the year – a new record low. [...]
Nissan set for first loss since 2008 financial crisis April 28, 2020 Nissan is on course to post its first annual loss since the 2008 financial crisis, the Japanese auto giant warned today. Car sales have collapsed around the world as the coronavirus pandemic has drained demand, with carmakers braced for significant losses. In a statement, Nissan said it was forecasting a loss of 45bn yen (£338m), [...]
Nearly 9,000 coronavirus-related deaths registered in week to 17 April April 28, 2020 Data released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed 8,758 coronavirus-related deaths were registered in England and Wales in the week to 17 April. This was an increase of 40 per cent on the previous week when 6,213 registered deaths mentioned coronavirus. There were 22,351 deaths registered in England and Wales in the [...]
