Working from home takes toll on younger generations, survey finds October 14, 2020 Working from home is disproportionately affecting young people, according to new research, as fears of fresh local lockdowns around the country continue to hamper a return to the office. More than 85 per cent of 1,500 office workers surveyed by design firm Oktra said they struggled with the switch to homeworking during the pandemic. Younger [...]
Record rise in redundancies as firms battle coronavirus crisis October 13, 2020 Redundancies soared to the highest level in more than a decade, rising by a record 114,000 between June and August, due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that redundancies increased by 113,000 on the year, and a record 114,000 on the quarter, to 227,000. [...]
FTSE 100 firms ‘should have one BAME board member by 2021’ October 1, 2020 FTSE 100 firms should have at least one black, Asian, or minority ethnic (BAME) member on their boards by 2021, the Confederation of British Industry has said. The CBI is set to launch its Change the Race Ratio campaign later this month with support from companies including Aviva, Brunswick, Deloitte and Microsoft, in a bid [...]
FTSE 100 dividend payouts fall to lowest level in nearly a decade September 29, 2020 Dividend payouts by FTSE 100 firms have dropped to their lowest point in nearly a decade as the pandemic forces companies to slash payments. Dividend payments for FTSE 100 firms are forecast to plunge 24 per cent this year, according to AJ Bell. It follows an 11 per cent drop in 2019, leaving the total [...]
Shares in insurance firms rise despite court ruling on business interruption claims September 15, 2020 Shares in UK insurance firms remained resilient this afternoon, even as the High Court ruled some firms will have to pay out on the disputed business interruption policies. Insurers may have to pay out to hundreds of thousands of British firms who had business interruption claims turned down during the pandemic. The Court ruled on [...]
Coronavirus: Is the pandemic the final nail in the coffin for property funds? September 2, 2020 As the economy starts to reopen after lockdown, the commercial property sector is looking to bounce back from what has been a difficult year. But the vast majority of the UK’s open-ended property funds remain suspended after they were closed as the coronavirus outbreak took hold. And a recent consultation from the Financial Conduct Authority [...]
City figures brought in to advise on UK trade negotiations August 25, 2020 Some of the City of London’s most prominent business leaders have been drafted in by the government to consult on the UK’s ongoing trade negotiations. Leaders from companies such as EY, Barclays and HSBC will be members of the Department of International Trade’s newly formed trade advisory groups. The government is simultaneously negotiating trade deal [...]
The City View: Beyoncé’s former manager on why classic hits are a hot asset class August 18, 2020 Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS In this episode Christian talks to music industry veteran Merck Mercuriadis, a former manager of acts including Elton John and Beyoncé whose FTSE-listed investment firm has just hit a £1bn market cap after snapping up the rights to hits including Livin’ on a Prayer, Back to Black, Uptown Funk, Single Ladies and Don’t Stop Believing. [...]
The City View: Euan Blair on why apprenticeships are key to unlocking talent August 14, 2020 Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS In this episode Christian is joined by Euan Blair, co-founder of tech firm Whitehat which matches apprentices with employers including Facebook, Morgan Stanley and other blue chip giants. Euan is on a mission to change the way people think about apprenticeships and to provide opportunities for disadvantaged young people [...]
Brits optimistic about returning to work despite safety concerns August 13, 2020 British workers are largely optimistic about returning to the office, though concerns remain over whether employers will put the right safety measures in place. Just under half of UK employees said they felt positive about going back to work, while less than one in five said they felt negative, according to a new survey. The [...]