Apple donates 10m face masks to healthcare workers for coronavirus relief effort March 26, 2020 Apple will donate 10m face masks to US healthcare workers as part of worldwide efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus. Chief executive Tim Cook said the tech giant would also provide “millions more” masks for the hardest hit regions in Europe. “Apple has sourced, procured and donated 10m masks to the medical community in [...]
Coronavirus: Bank of England holds rates but paints gloomy economic picture March 26, 2020 The Bank of England has kept interest rates on hold at the record low level of 0.1 per cent but signalled it is prepared to take further action to tackle the effects of coronavirus. The Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) today said it “stands ready to respond further as necessary to guard against an unwarranted [...]
Coronavirus: FTSE firms get an extra two months to publish results March 26, 2020 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) today said listed companies could have an extra two months to publish their financial results. In a joint statement with audit regulator the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the FCA said: “Companies and their auditors currently face unprecedented challenges in preparing and [...]
US unemployment skyrockets as coronavirus crashes economy March 26, 2020 The number of Americans claiming unemployment benefits skyrocketed at the fastest pace on record last week as coronavirus laid waste to the US economy, data showed today. Jobless claims soared to 3.3 million in the week to 21 March from 282,000 a week earlier, according to the US Department of Labor (DoL). “This marks the [...]
Topps Tiles warns on profit and suspends dividend March 26, 2020 Topps Tiles has issued a profit warning and does not expect to pay a dividend this year as it closes stores amid the coronavirus outbreak. The tile specialist said the pandemic will result in a “material reduction” to expectations for revenue and profit and is not expecting to pay an interim dividend this financial year. [...]
Lloyd’s of London boss expects claims spike as market enacts coronavirus response plan March 26, 2020 The chief executive of insurance market Lloyd’s of London said today he expected a spike in claims as a result of the coraonvirus pandemic. Speaking to City A.M., John Neal said “I think we will have heightened claims activity,” but said it was not yet possible to predict the full impact. Neal said Lloyd’s has [...]
MPs call for public help amid crackdown on coronavirus misinformation March 26, 2020 MPs have urged members of the public to flag up examples of fake news on social media as authorities struggle to stamp out misleading information about coronavirus. The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee today warned that much of the misinformation relating to the pandemic was being spread through private channels, meaning the [...]
Coronavirus: The County Championship might have to be sacrificed this summer for good of the game, says Angus Fraser March 26, 2020 The County Championship might have to be sacrificed this summer so that domestic cricket can come out of the coronavirus pandemic in the strongest possible position, according to Middlesex’s managing director of cricket Angus Fraser. The start of the cricket season has been pushed back from 12 April to 28 May at the earliest by [...]
Coronavirus: London’s Excel centre set to open 500 hospital beds next week March 26, 2020 A temporary hospital at East London’s Excel centre will have 500 beds open next week for coronavirus patients. Health secretary Matt Hancock announced on Tuesday that the Excel centre would be turned into the NHS Nightingale Hospital, to deal with the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, and will have 4,000 beds. An official Downing Street [...]
STV scraps dividend as coronavirus hits advertising and production March 26, 2020 STV today scrapped its dividend as the broadcaster warned the coronavirus outbreak would impact its advertising revenue and production plans. STV, which holds the channel 3 licence in Scotland, said the downturn in advertising meant its full-year target of single digit revenue growth would now be “challenging”. The broadcaster said its production division had also [...]