Coronavirus: The tipping point for company communications? April 3, 2020 We are living through ‘unprecedented’ times. Everyone agrees that Covid-19 will change the world forever – and in myriad ways. ‘Unprecedented’ is used almost constantly. But can it be said that how companies communicate with their investors specifically, and the financial market in general, has changed in ‘unprecedented’ ways too? The answer, thus far, is [...]
UK to open two more Nightingale hospitals to deal with coronavirus cases April 3, 2020 The UK will open two more Nightingale hospitals to handle the rising number of coronavirus cases, as the first opened at London’s Excel Centre today. The new Nightingale hospitals in Bristol and Harrogate will provide 1,500 extra beds for patients afflicted by coronavirus. So far the outbreak has killed 2,921 people in the UK. The [...]
Nationwide U-turns on business banking debut over coronavirus April 3, 2020 Nationwide has abandoned plans to enter the business banking market, blaming coronavirus for making it commercially unviable. The building society will return a £50m grant from a pool of RBS cash to foster competititon among British banks as it scales back ambitions in the face of the outbreak. “The impact of Covid19, including assumption changes [...]
Woman wrongly charged under new coronavirus legislation April 3, 2020 British Transport Police has admitted wrongly charging a woman who was fined under new coronavirus legislation. Following a joint review with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the British Transport Police (BTP) said Marie Dinou had been charged under the incorrect section of the Coronavirus Act. She had been fined £660 by magistrates for breaching coronavirus [...]
Coronavirus: ITV bosses take 20 per cent pay cut as bonuses scrapped April 3, 2020 ITV today scrapped director bonuses and said its entire board would take a 20 per cent pay cut in light of the coronavirus crisis. The broadcaster became the latest company to announce executive salary cuts in the face of coronavirus, after scrapping its 2019 dividend and abandoning 2020 guidance. Executive directors asked that their annual [...]
Labour asks how Hancock’s coronavirus testing pledge will be met April 3, 2020 The government is under pressure to explain how it will increase its coronavirus testing ten-fold by the end of the month. Yesterday health secretary Matt Hancock said he wants 100,000 tests to be carried out every day, up from the 10,000 currently. However the Labour Party has said there is little detail on how this [...]
Waiting on a good exchange rate? April 3, 2020 In time of uncertainty, currencies can be even more volatile. With the entire world ramping up efforts to control the Covid-19 pandemic, the toll on people’s lives is tragic and immeasurable, but there is also huge economic uncertainty, having a profound effect on the markets never seen before, causing currency volatility. Market movements Even after [...]
Coronavirus pushes UK services sector to worst month on record April 3, 2020 The UK’s dominant services sector shrank at the fastest pace on record in March, survey data has confirmed, as the coronavirus lockdown ravaged the economy. “The services sector was sucked into a black hole and flung into the unknown,” said Duncan Brock, group director of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (Cips). The IHS [...]
Fuller’s suspends dividend during closure of pub estate April 3, 2020 Fuller’s has suspended its dividend as part of cost-cutting measures during the closure of its entire pub estate amid the coronavirus lockdown. Like a number of firms exposed to the impact of the coronavirus lockdown, the Fuller’s board has decided to preserve further cash and suspend the final dividend. The pub firm said it had [...]
