At the close: FTSE 100 index surges as banks’ share prices including Lloyds, RBS and Barclays rise February 25, 2016 The FTSE 100 index rocketed on Thursday as banking stocks surged, supported by the news that fourth quarter UK GDP was revised upwards to 0.5 per cent. The index closed 2.48 per cent higher at 6,012 points, led higher by Lloyds Banking Group and RSA Insurance Group. "European banks were the centre of market turmoil two [...]
Ofcom: BT’s share price rises as telecoms giant avoids Openreach spin-off – for now February 25, 2016 BT's share price climbed this morning after it narrowly avoided being forced to spin off Openreach into a separate company by the industry regulator. Ofcom has said BT must open up its network to competitors and reform Openreach "to better serve UK customers and businesses", but it stopped short of insisting it would have to carve up [...]
999 emergency phone number down in parts of Cambridgeshire and Suffolk in south east england February 23, 2016 The emergency 999 number is down for some people in parts of the UK, according to several reports. Cambridgeshire and Suffolk are understood to be affected with people unable to make calls to police, ambulance or fire brigade on the emergency line. Cambridgeshire fire and rescue tweeted that phone lines were down in the south east of the [...]
EU referendum: Asda, HSBC, Vodafone and nearly 200 sign letter saying Brexit would threaten jobs – but Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s are not on the list February 23, 2016 The bosses of HSBC, BT, Vodafone and Asda are among those to have put their name to an open letter backing the remain camp and Prime Minister David Cameron's reforms in Europe. More than a third of the UK's biggest companies were represented in the letter, which was published in The Times this morning, saying they represented [...]
EU referendum: Full text of letter signed by FTSE 100 bosses backing Prime Minister David Cameron’s reform efforts is leaked February 22, 2016 It was first reported over the weekend that up to half of Britain's biggest businesses will voice their support for Prime Minister David Cameron's campaign to keep the UK in the European Union by putting their names to an open letter backing the reforms Cameron secured in Brussels last week. Now it looks like the full text [...]
Telecommunications giant BT expected to avoid being broken up from Openreach, in verdict due this Thursday February 21, 2016 BT is expected to avoid having its infrastructure arm Openreach carved out this week, following months of campaigning for a split by the company’s rivals. City A.M. understands the decision will be announced on Thursday in Ofcom’s Digital Communications Review, though will reportedly include requirements for minimum-service standards between Openreach and BT’s rivals Vodafone, Sky, and [...]
Economic think tank calls for Openreach to be carved out from BT as Ofcom deadline looms February 17, 2016 BT faces fresh calls for its broadband infrastructure arm Openreach to be hived off today, after economists at the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) found the UK is falling behind international competitors. The CPS also has warned Britain's current broadband infrastructure market appears anti-competitive and Ofcom should refer the issue to the Competition and Markets Authority [...]
EU referendum: BT chairman Sir Mike Rake says British voters will choose to remain in the European Union as he takes up role at the International Chamber of Commerce February 17, 2016 Sir Mike Rake, who chairs both telecoms giant BT Group and the payment processing company Worldpay, has said that he expects Britain to remain in the European Union, even if the forthcoming EU referendum proves to be a closely-contested vote. “If common sense prevails and the facts can be got in the public domain, the [...]
EE earnings grow by double digits as 4G customers soar February 12, 2016 EE’s earnings are up by double digits as the firm, which is now part of BT, reports 4G users hitting a 14m milestone. The figures EE’s total network connections grew by 1.8 per cent in 2015, to hit 31.5m in total. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation are up 12.1 per cent over the [...]
Liverpool ticket price protest: Premier League clubs should not lower the cost of attendance February 10, 2016 The ticket price row at Liverpool is only the latest squabble about the cost of attending football matches. The new £5bn-plus TV deal guaranteeing Premier League teams huge increases in revenue offers an occasion for clubs to lower admission prices. Retired footballers, journalists, media commentators and MPs all seem to be convinced that that they [...]