Wolseley owner Ferguson resumes dividend despite pandemic-related profit hit September 29, 2020 Plumbing giant Ferguson — formerly known as Wolseley — announced a resumption of dividend payments today despite a less-than-watertight set of full-year results after activity was held back during the pandemic. The results Revenue slipped 0.9 per cent to $21.8bn for the 12 months to 31 July, down from $22bn in the same period last [...]
Hotel Chocolat swings to loss as pandemic bites into sales September 29, 2020 Luxury chocolatier Hotel Choclat swung to a statutory loss in the 52 weeks to June, after shuttered commuter hubs and store closures during the crucial Easter period swallowed up sales and hammered finances. The results Revenue rose three per cent for the 12 months to the end of June, after a 14 per cent hike [...]
Non-payment of TV licence set to be decriminalised and replaced with fines September 28, 2020 Ministers are finalising plans to decriminalise non-payment of the TV licence and replace it with action by civil courts and bailiffs. Under proposals set to be announced next month, the government will introduce legislation to bring TV licence non-payment under the scope of “civil debt”, much in the same way non-payment of utility bills is [...]
Parliament scraps plans to exempt its own bars from 10pm curfew September 28, 2020 Parliament has U-turned on a decision to allow the sale of alcohol on its premises after 10pm despite a nationwide curfew, following furious backlash from MPs and unions. Licenced bars and catering facilities within the Parliamentary estate had initially been allowed to stay open after the 10pm deadline after ministers argued that MPs and peers [...]
US judge temporarily blocks Trump’s Tiktok app store ban September 28, 2020 A US judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban on Tiktok downloads that was due to come into effect at midnight last night. A Washington district judge granted Tiktok’s last-minute request for a preliminary injunction on the ban late last night following a 90-minute hearing earlier in the day. App Store ban The Chinese-owned [...]
Casino giant Caesars in ‘advanced discussions’ over £2.9bn William Hill takeover September 28, 2020 US casino giant Caesars Entertainment has confirmed it is in “advanced discussions” over a £2.9bn takeover deal of UK betting firm William Hill. Caesars has put forward a cash offer of 272p per share for the British bookmaker, which is 25 per cent higher than the company’s trading price last Thursday and a 57.6 per [...]
Mirror publisher suspends dividend as revenue slumps during Covid-19 pandemic September 28, 2020 Mirror and Express publisher Reach has suspended its interim dividend for the six months to June, after a national lockdown during the pandemic bit into sales and hammered revenue at the newspaper owner. The results Revenue slipped 17.5 per cent to £290.8m in the six months to 28 June at the newspaper publisher, down from [...]
Finance watchdog slams Google for not removing scam adverts September 25, 2020 The UK’s financial regulator has accused Google of failing to address the use of its search engine by fraudsters placing scam adverts. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) yesterday said steps taken by Google to crack down on fake investment adverts “fall short” of requirements, and contribute to “a production line that proliferates scams”. Speaking at [...]
Tiktok files for injunction to overturn US app store ban September 24, 2020 Tiktok has submitted a request to block President Donald Trump’s plans to ban downloads of the video platform from US app stores on Sunday. The request, filed in a Washington district court yesterday, marks the latest attempt by the Chinese social media company to protect its service in the US in the face of a [...]
Botticelli portrait set to fetch $80m as it goes up for auction September 24, 2020 One of the last known privately-owned portraits by Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli is expected to fetch at least $80m (£63m) when it goes under the hammer in January. The 550-year-old painting, titled Young Man Holding a Roundel, will go up for sale as part of Sotheby’s Masters Week series of auctions in New York next [...]
