Oil prices: FTSE energy stocks tumble after Opec coronavirus chaos March 9, 2020 FTSE 100-listed energy stocks have crumbled in early trading after Saudi Arabia initiated a price war that saw oil prices collapse today. Shell’s share price plummeted 21 per cent before trimming losses to stand down 14.8 per cent by 9.50am, while BP’s tumbled 17.3 per cent to 326.9p. Petrofac fell over 50 per cent to [...]
Training provider Mind Gym warns on coronavirus hit to profit March 9, 2020 Workplace training provider Mind Gym this morning warned that revenue and profit will miss expectations following the coronavirus outbreak. Revenue growth is expected to be 10 to 15 per cent in the year to 31 March, below previous expectations, due to a spike in cancellations and a reduction in new bookings. Profit before tax is [...]
Tesco sells Thai and Malaysian businesses for £8.2bn March 9, 2020 Tesco has sold its Thai and Malaysian businesses to CP Group for £8.2bn, the supermarket giant announced this morning. Following the deal Tesco will return £5bn to shareholders and make a £2.5bn pension contribution. The disposal of the two Asian units, which were operated under the Lotus brand, will simplify the group’s structure and allow [...]
Oil prices and Asian stocks collapse under coronavirus fears March 9, 2020 Oil prices and stocks collapsed today as investors piled into safe havens in a bid to escape the fallout of a fresh spread of coronavirus. Oil prices plunged around 30 per cent after Saudi Arabia signalled its intention to ramp up production. And investors knocked 30-year US bond yields below one per cent as they [...]
Knifeman shot dead by police in Westminster March 9, 2020 Armed police shot a knifeman dead in Westminster last night after he was spotted “acting suspiciously”. Officers on patrol spotted a man acting suspiciously at around 11.25pm last night, who later produced two knives when he was challenged by police. Armed officers responded to the incident, which is not being treated as terrorism, and a [...]
Patel is in a Priti pickle March 9, 2020 Sympathy for Priti Patel is not necessarily widespread in Britain at the minute. The home secretary has incurred the wrath of the civil service, much of the establishment and indeed much of the media for her ripe language and uncompromising attitudes at work. So much so that it has put her job — and political [...]
DEBATE: Should companies use tracking software to monitor their staff? March 9, 2020 Following the Barclays scandal, should firms use tracking software to monitor their staff? YES, says Jasmit Sagoo, senior director and head of technology UK and Ireland at Veritas Technologies Monitoring is not the same as “spying”. In most cases, it is businesses being obliged to track activities for compliance — and it’s almost always better [...]
Sadiq Khan’s real opponent in the London mayoral election is Boris Johnson March 9, 2020 Just days into the formal mayoral election campaign and Sadiq Khan has already shown why he is arguably Labour’s most successful politician since Tony Blair. The mayor of London launched his re-election campaign last week by labelling the contest as a “referendum on rent control”, demanding central government grants him the power to cap rents [...]
If cities like London and Cardiff collaborate, the whole UK will prosper March 9, 2020 Last week, digital bank Starling announced the creation of 400 new jobs in Cardiff. To anyone familiar with the thriving city, it should come as no surprise. The Welsh capital has cultivated an innovative digital and tech centre with particular specialities around life sciences and software technology, as well as fast-growing adjacent industries such as [...]
Mind the gap: How to level up transport networks across south London March 9, 2020 It is widely acknowledged that south London’s transport links are inferior to those north of the river. By taking a cursory glance at the Tube map, it becomes blindingly obvious that there is a clear disparity between the two parts of our city, with several multi-coloured lines stretching well into the north in stark contrast [...]