80 per cent of BP shareholders reject climate proposals to reduce emissions May 12, 2021 Shareholders have voted against a plan that would have forced BP to strengthen its climate commitments. More than 79 per cent of investors voted against a resolution proposed by shareholder group Follow This, which pushes oil companies to reduce their emissions. BP said that 20.6 per cent of votes were in favour of the plan. [...]
JP Morgan’s UK staff set to return to office from next month May 11, 2021 JP Morgan has told its UK staff that more of them will return to the office from next month as restrictions start to ease. The American bank told staff to prepare for a “consistent schedule” which combines both remote and office working but offices will operate at maximum 50 per cent of capacity, according to [...]
Extinction Rebellion co-founder arrested after attacks on Canary Wharf banks May 11, 2021 Extinction Rebellion co-founder Gail Bradbrook was arrested at her home this morning for conspiracy to cause criminal damage and fraud after her group attacked banks in Canary Wharf. Activists from Extinction Rebellion smashed the window frontage of HSBC and Barclays last month. They have also targeted Lloyd’s of London, where they dumped fake coal outside [...]
UK Government sell shares of bailed-out NatWest for £1.1bn as stake shrinks to 55 per cent May 11, 2021 UK Government sell shares of bailed-out NatWest for £1.1bn as stake shrinks to 55 per cent
Consumer spending grew in April as high streets and hospitality reopened May 11, 2021 Consumer spending was up 0.4 per cent higher last month than in April 2019, as Brits rushed out to take advantage of the easing of lockdown restrictions. Last month the first major move away from a full lockdown took place, with shoppers finally allowed to visit non-essential retail stores, and hospitality venues – so long [...]
Wall Street closes lower on inflation jitters May 10, 2021 Wall Street closed lower on today as inflation fears drove investors away from market-leading growth stocks in favour of cyclicals, which stand to benefit most as the economy reopens. Industrial and healthcare shares limited the Dow’s decline but the blue-chip average reversed course late in the session to snap a three-day streak of record closing [...]
Government raised £40.8bn in green taxes in 2020, just six per cent of total May 10, 2021 The government raised £40.8bn through ‘green taxes’ last year, just six per cent of the £633bn raised through taxes overall, according to law firm Pinsent Masons. Over the last decade, the money raked in by green taxes has only risen 19 per cent which has clashed with the 53 per cent surge in taxes as [...]
Standard Chartered to face shareholder action over climate change policies May 10, 2021 Shareholders are set to eye Standard Chartered bank’s climate policies, according to environmental organisation Market Forces, revealing it has pumped $31.4bn into fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement. The scrutiny comes as the bank confirmed its participation in a $400m five year loan for global coal giant Adaro Indonesia, as part of a syndicate of [...]
Former Serco boss calls for abolition of Serious Fraud Office May 10, 2021 A former Serco executive who was cleared of defrauding taxpayers by hiding millions of pounds in profits has called for the abolition of the white collar crime agency that pursued him. Simon Marshall, who was acquitted last month, said the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) did not have “anything to do with justice” and should be [...]
Lloyds in talks over £400m deal for retirement group Embark May 9, 2021 Lloyds Bank is in talks over a £400m deal to acquire retirement products provider Embark in what would be its biggest acquisition since it returned to private ownership four years ago. The lender is close to finalising a deal and an announcement could come as early as this month, Sky News reported. Embark, which was [...]