UK retail sales miss expectations before March’s coronavirus hit March 26, 2020 UK retail sales slumped 0.3 per cent in February to miss expectations of a small rise of 0.2 per cent. And core UK retail sales dropped 0.5 per cent on a monthly basis, deeper than expected in February, despite few businesses seeing the coronavirus-led slowdown that has wrought havoc in March. Excluding fuel, UK retail [...]
London: Two millennia of pestilence and not out March 26, 2020 Anyone with a cursory knowledge of London’s history will not be surprised that our city is the epicentre of Britain’s coronavirus outbreak. Ever since its Roman foundation, London has been a microbial soup, a cauldron of pestilence. Time and again plagues have swept across the capital, threatening to wipe it out. On every occasion, times [...]
City Moves for 27 March – Who’s switching jobs at 11:FS, McCarthy Denning and Meyer Bergman? March 26, 2020 Today’s City Moves includes 11:FS, McCarthy Denning and Meyer Bergman 11:FS Digital financial services firm 11:FS has announced the appointment of Benjamin Ensor as director of research. Benjamin is a highly experienced researcher and analyst, with more than 20 years of experience advising leading financial services firms around the world about changing customer behaviour, changing [...]
Zoopla: Coronavirus could send UK house prices plunging March 26, 2020 UK house prices could plunge dramatically as the coronavirus outbreak causes demand to dry up, Zoopla has warned. The spread of Covid-19 is already having a big effect on the market, causing a 40 per cent drop in demand for housing in the seven days to 22 March, according to data from property website Zoopla. [...]
Working from home? You still need to dress to impress March 26, 2020 Chaps, if you’ve very recently begun working from home for some reason, you may be finding it difficult to adjust. The lack of shape to your day, the upsetting of your usual routine, can be disorientating. Sure, your initial idea that you’d be able to lie on the sofa in nothing but your briefs, dipping [...]
Coronavirus: The government’s job retention scheme needs some more tweaking March 26, 2020 With businesses ordered to close and workers to self-isolate, the government is attempting to protect the wages of those impacted to avoid them breaking quarantine to go job-hunting. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), which offers payments to affected workers of 80 per cent of income, capped at £2,500 a month, provides some security, but [...]
Debate: Are the emergency powers granted to the government in the Coronavirus Bill too long-lasting? March 26, 2020 Yesterday, the Lords passed the Coronavirus Bill, which gives the government never-before-seen powers in a bid to halt the outbreak. However, they will only be reviewed every six months. City A.M. asks whether this is too long-lasting. Yes, says Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch Emergency powers are needed – but with an emergency [...]
Time for a staycation? Mortgage payment holidays explained March 26, 2020 As part of its plan to reduce the economic damage done by staying at home during the coronavirus outbreak, the government has granted a holiday on what is many people’s biggest outlay: mortgage payments. For three months, those who are paying off their mortgage will get a temporary break from their monthly payments, one of [...]
Coronavirus crisis is putting the public good back at the heart of commerce March 26, 2020 Conservative chancellors are not usually known for their inspirational quotes. Rishi Sunak, however, channelled the mood of the nation when he unveiled his bold package to tackle the coronavirus crisis. Ending his speech on a stirring note, he set out how history would judge our response, highlighting the acts of kindness and decency that would [...]
Coronavirus: Pursue profit at all costs or stand by your staff? The world has its eye on business March 26, 2020 How times have changed. It is remarkable to think that it was just eight weeks ago that business and political leaders from around the world gathered in the Alpine town of Davos. The 50th World Economic Forum was dominated by discussion of the climate crisis, global trade and artificial intelligence. US President Donald Trump declared [...]
