UK’s big five banks set to pay out £7bn in dividends as their earnings soar October 10, 2021 The UK’s largest banks are preparing to hand out a collective £7bn in dividends this year, on the back of earnings hitting their highest level for the sector since 2008. The £7bn payout would be more than double the £3.3bn handed out in dividends by the UK’s big five in 2020. The UK’s five largest [...]
Office commuters boost TfL’s cycle hire numbers for September October 7, 2021 Workers returning to the office after the UK Government eased restrictions helped Transport for London’s (TfL) bicycle hire scheme jump to more than a million total hires, registering the highest September in the scheme’s 11 year history. Data from TfL showed that more than 40,000 people used the service every day, with an average of [...]
Crypto crime landscape shifts to bigger threats targeting smaller numbers October 5, 2021 The use of cryptocurrencies for illicit activities from ransom money, money laundering and funding for terrorist activities continues unabated.
PM aiming to schmooze globe’s top finance brass at green summit October 5, 2021 The chiefs of the globe’s top finance brass will attend a green summit hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The bosses of Wall Street behemoths JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs and asset manager big beasts BlackRock and Blackstone will be among those Johnson is hoping to schmooze to generate billions of pounds of investment for the [...]
World Rugby’s 15 minute contact limit: the solution to injury fears or too simplistic? October 4, 2021 Rugby’s physically demanding nature has seen the sport’s organisers implement advanced concussion policies and a science-based approach to medicine, but they are about to go further. World Rugby, the game’s international governing body, last month issued the recommendation that players be limited to 15 minutes of full-contact training per week, across a maximum of two [...]
Concoction of risks weighs on London markets October 4, 2021 A concoction of risks threatening to scupper the global economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis weighed on London markets this morning. The capital’s premier index edged down 0.12 per cent to 7,018.60 points during the first couple of hours of trading today. Ongoing supply issues, severe shortages, accelerating inflation and the growing likelihood of central [...]
Virgin Money store closures latest in long line of banks and lenders shutting branches September 30, 2021 Virgin Money’s latest tranche of branch closures, announced this morning, comes after swathes have been shut across the banking sector in recent months. The move to axe nearly a fifth of Virgin Money’s branch network – 31 stores with 112 jobs at risk – comes as rival HSBC also calls time on the last of [...]
Staycations could inject over £9bn into economy September 30, 2021 A continued demand for staycations could see more than £9bn injected into the UK’s tourism economy. Barclays estimated that, should a preference for UK holidays continue at the same rate in 2022, it would add up to £9.2bn to the domestic tourism market. While many Brits will be eager to swap Cornwall for Portugal next [...]
999 for banks: Lenders set to launch customer hotline to tackle fraud September 28, 2021 UK banks are preparing to launch an emergency hotline – dubbed the industry’s answer to 999 – later this week, in an effort to tackle surging levels of fraud. Customers who fear that they have been targeted by fraudsters imitating their bank, or other common guises such as HM Revenue & Customs or a parcel [...]
Boris Johnson draws back from deploying soldiers as minister blames motorists for shortages September 27, 2021 Boris Johnson this afternoon drew back from plans to deploy troops to ensure fuel supplies reach forecourts, as ministers have issued a fresh appeal to motorists to stop “panic buying.” Ministers are hoping the pressure will ease as motorists move back to their routine buying patterns, following the surge in demand last week which led [...]