Standard Chartered bans staff from using Zoom and Google Hangouts April 15, 2020 Standard Chartered has become the first major bank to ban staff from using Zoom during the coronavirus crisis due to cybersecurity concerns. In a note to managers, seen by Reuters, chief executive Bill Winters last week also warned against holding virtual meetings on Google Hangouts. It comes amid growing scrutiny of Zoom’s security standards as [...]
Universal Credit boss promises improved payment delivery for new claimants April 15, 2020 A higher proportion of new benefits claimants will receive their payment on time than before the coronavirus outbreak, according to the boss of Universal Credit. In normal times, 87 per cent of new Universal Credit claimants get their first payment on time, which is after five weeks from applying, according to figures from the Department [...]
Jupiter Fund Management pushes on with Merian deal despite outflows April 15, 2020 Jupiter Fund Management today said it was pushing ahead with its takeover of Merian Global Investors despite both being hit by outflows. Jupiter said it had net outflows for the quarter of £2.3bn. It said assets under management fell £7.8bn in the quarter to £35bn – the majority of which it said were caused by [...]
Coronavirus: Businesses must seize the chance to be altruistic April 15, 2020 We recently interviewed the Manufacturing Director of a large company who told us that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic he had gathered all his suppliers and told them frankly: “We’ll face this together. We share everything.” This leader could easily have placed the entire burden of plummeting demand on the shoulders of suppliers by [...]
Coronavirus: Landlords will show pragmatism to save businesses April 15, 2020 Once the Covid-19 pandemic has abated and the UK retail property market returns to some semblance of normality, the way in which landlords reacted to the crisis will be forensically assessed by retailers. The hard lessons learnt by both sides will reshape the landlord-tenant relationship and people will have long memories with regard to how [...]
Coronavirus: Quiz reopens online store and distribution centre April 15, 2020 Fashion retailer Quiz is the latest brand to resume online trading after shutting its warehouse last month over coronavirus safety concerns. Shares in the company jumped more than 13 per cent as it announced this morning that it has reopened its online store and distribution centre, but can only offer standard delivery. Quiz said it [...]
Lending through UK coronavirus scheme hits £1.1bn after three weeks April 15, 2020 The UK’s coronavirus business loan scheme has picked up after firms complained it was not working, with £1.1bn lent out to 6,020 small and medium-sized companies as of yesterday. Banking body UK Finance today said total lending under the scheme has grown by £700m in the last week after criticism of the programme led the [...]
UK coronavirus lockdown: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pushes for exit strategy April 15, 2020 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for transparency over when UK coronavirus lockdown measures will ease, as the government faces pressure over its care homes strategy. Starmer’s party will back the government’s likely extension of the coronavirus lockdown tomorrow. But he has said “there needs to be transparency” over how long the measures will [...]
Gambling firm 888 Holdings pushes ahead with plans despite coronavirus crisis April 15, 2020 Gambling firm 888 Holdings will push ahead with its growth plans this year despite the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the company said as it published its full-year results. The figures Revenue was up four per cent to $560.3m last year but profit before tax fell from $108.7m to $45.3m. Adjusted earnings before interest, [...]
Coronavirus: Trump’s partisan attacks could leave him vulnerable in November April 15, 2020 Looking around the world at responses to COVID-19, generally speaking political partisanship has taken a back seat to a genuine spirit of cooperation that transcends party lines. With the general election behind us and local elections delayed, British politics can focus on the task in hand without being too guided by the immediate reaction from [...]
