Rail operators awarded new contracts for Great Western and Southeastern franchises March 30, 2020 First Group and Go Ahead Group have been awarded new contracts to run the Great Western and Southeastern rail franchises respectively with just a day to go before the existing deals run out. The new contracts will run concurrently with the emergency measures the government put in place last week to protect the rail industry [...]
Coronavirus: Retail landlord Hammerson suffers drop in rent payments March 30, 2020 Retail landlord Hammerson received 37 per cent of the rent it was owed in the second quarter as its tenants suffered a drop in sales and forced closures due to the coronavirus pandemic. The shopping centre owner this morning said adjusted for rent deferred, switched to monthly payment and waived, it had received 57 per [...]
Tiger Global builds stake in Tiktok owner Bytedance March 30, 2020 Tiger Global Management is said to have built up a stake in Tiktok owner Bytedance as it looks to cash in on the growing popularity of the short-form video platform. The New York-based investment firm — also known as the Tiger Fund — revealed the stake in a letter to investors this week. Tiger Global [...]
M&G’s flagship bond fund faces £100m daily outflows March 30, 2020 M&G’s flagship bond has become the latest casualty of the coronavirus-induced market sell-off, as investors pull £100m a day from the fund. Investors have pulled £2.5bn from M&G Optimal Income since mid-February, according to the Financial Times, as the coronavirus outbreak pushed investors towards the safety of cash. M&G, which is run by Richard Woolnough, [...]
Daily coronavirus cases fall 10 per cent March 30, 2020 Daily coronavirus cases have dropped for the first time in weeks, according to the latest figures. Stocks rallied as the number of daily coronavirus cases fell 10 per cent on Sunday compared to the previous day. However, the gains were not sustained and the FTSE 100 is down 0.87 per cent this morning. The drop [...]
Hipgnosis secures music catalogue of Bon Jovi songwriter March 30, 2020 Music royalties investment firm Hipgnosis today said it has bagged the rights to the complete catalogue of Bon Jovi lead guitarist and songwriter Richie Sambora. The London-listed company said it has acquired all 186 songs inked by Sambora, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 alongside Jon Bon Jovi. [...]
Barclays outlines new climate policy amid mounting pressure from activists March 30, 2020 Barclays said it plans to cut its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 and will only provide financing to projects aligned with the Paris Agreement climate goals. The London-based bank said it will table a resolution on its new climate policy for shareholders to vote on at its annual general meeting (AGM) in [...]
Coronavirus: More than half of Brits expect a recession March 30, 2020 More than half of Britons now expect the economy to tumble into recession within a year due to the coronavirus outbreak, a poll has shown, with pessimism about household finances rising at the fastest rate on record. Pollsters Yougov said 52 per cent of people in the UK think the economy will be in recession [...]
Dominic Cummings self-isolates with coronavirus symptoms March 30, 2020 Boris Johnson’s most senior adviser Dominic Cummings is reportedly self-isolating at home with coronavirus symptoms. A Number 10 source told the MailOnline that Cummings is still “in contact” with Downing Street colleagues. A Downing Street spokesperson said they “wouldn’t expect” that Cummings had been tested. It comes after the Prime Minister tested positive for Covid-19 [...]
Ted Baker appoints new chief executive amid coronavirus crisis March 30, 2020 Embattled fashion chain Ted Baker has appointed a new chief executive as the retailer battles the challenges caused by the outbreak of coronavirus. Acting chief executive Rachel Osborne will take on the role on a permanent basis, the company announced this morning. The former Debenhams finance chief took the reins in December when Lindsay Page [...]
