BT auditor highlights new accounting weaknesses June 8, 2020 The external auditor of BT has highlighted “material weaknesses” within the company’s financial reporting controls, in the latest upset to its accounting credibility. In a letter to the telecoms firm KPMG noted that BT “did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of 31 March, 2020 because of… material weaknesses related to general [...]
Lloyds hit by investor backlash over executive pay package May 21, 2020 Lloyds was left reeling from a shareholder revolt today after more than a third of investors voted against the bank’s pay policy for top executives. The investor backlash came after influential proxy adviser group ISS recommended voting against the changes to the policy amid concerns it will all but guarantee long-term bonuses. While the rebellion [...]
BT bosses to waive millions in bonuses after dividend suspension May 20, 2020 BT’s top executives are said to be waiving cash bonuses for the next two years in a bid to appease investors following the company’s decision to suspend its dividend. Chief executive Philip Jansen and finance director Simon Lowth will defer their combined bonus payments of £2.2m for the next three years. They will also turn [...]
Huawei says ‘pernicious’ new US sanctions puts its survival at stake May 18, 2020 Huawei has slammed “pernicious” new sanctions rolled out by the US last week, warning they could put the Chinese tech giant’s survival at stake. “We expect that our business will inevitably be affected. We will try all we can to seek a solution,” Huawei’s rotating chairman Guo Ping said in a speech this morning. “Survival [...]
Woodford protege Mark Barnett leaves Invesco after 24 years May 15, 2020 Woodford protege Mark Barnett is leaving Invesco after 24 years, after a disappointing few months. Invesco confirmed the departure after Sky News reported Barnett would be leaving the firm after a difficult few months for the fund manager. It comes just weeks after he was sacked by Perpetual Income and Growth Trust after more than [...]
BT shares surge on possible sale of £20bn stake in Openreach May 15, 2020 BT’s share price jumped in early trading today following reports the telco is preparing to sell a £20bn stake in its fibre rollout arm Openreach. The telecom giant’s shares, which have been trading at a record low this year, rocketed 9.25 per cent to 111.6p on a Financial Times report that discussions were underway. BT [...]
Donald Trump extends US Huawei ban by another year May 14, 2020 US President Donald Trump has extended his country’s ban on controversial Chinese tech firm Huawei for a further year. Trump last year declared a national emergency and signed an executive order banning US companies from using telecoms kit made by firms that posed a national security risk. The order, which is aimed primarily at Chinese [...]
Vodafone pays out dividend but scraps guidance over coronavirus May 12, 2020 Vodafone held onto its dividend for 2019 as it narrowed losses substantially despite the coronavirus outbreak, the telco revealed today. But it scrapped 2021 financial year guidance over the pandemic, though outlined €1bn in cost savings and mooted a possible IPO of its mobile masts company early next year. The figures Vodafone booked a loss [...]
FTSE 100 and US stocks rise despite more dire economic warnings May 7, 2020 US stocks have joined the FTSE 100 in positive territory as investors bet on a relatively speedy economic recovery from coronavirus despite yet more dire economic predictions. London’s blue-chip FTSE 100 index was up 1.4 per cent at 5,933 points in afternoon trading. This was despite the Bank of England warning of the worst slump [...]
How the O2-Virgin Media merger will reshape the telecoms sector May 7, 2020 O2 and Virgin Media this morning confirmed they will join forces in a mammoth merger that will create a new £31bn telecoms powerhouse. The deal — reports of which first emerged last week — came as little surprise to industry watchers, though the timing of the deal in the middle of a global pandemic has [...]