Shell cuts dividend as earnings halve in first quarter April 30, 2020 Oil giant Shell today reduced its dividend by 66 per cent after earnings fell by 46 per cent in the first quarter due to the coronavirus crisis. The decision to reduce the dividend is the first time the firm has done so since World War Two, and means it has relinquished its position as the [...]
Lloyds first quarter profit crashes 95 per cent on coronavirus April 30, 2020 Lloyds Banking Group posted a huge 95 per cent fall in profit for the first quarter of 2020 today as the coronavirus crisis took hold in the UK. Profit before tax slumped to £74m from £1.6bn the previous year as Lloyds took a massive impairment charge of £1.43bn as it expects bad loans to mount [...]
The City View podcast, from City A.M., with Hetan Shah, chief executive of the British Academy April 30, 2020 In this episode of the City View podcast Christian is joined by Hetan Shah, formerly director of the Royal Statistical Society now chief executive of the British Academy – the National Academy for Humanities and Social Sciences. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Hetan discusses the role that economics, [...]
Brexit Steves face off: Baker slams Barclay’s Treasury committee performance April 29, 2020 Tory backbencher Steve Baker has hit out at Treasury minister Steve Barclay for avoiding questions in a fiery House of Commons committee hearing. Baker, a prominent Eurosceptic, said afterward that Barclay, a former Brexit secretary, “avoided saying anything new or noteworthy” and that the Treasury would be happy as a result of his performance. Barclay [...]
FTSE 100 jumps as Gilead reports positive data on coronavirus drug trial April 29, 2020 The FTSE 100 closed at its highest in seven weeks after drugmaker Gilead reported positive results from its trials for a coronavirus drug. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 2.13 per cent higher to finish at 6,085 points, the first time it has surpassed the 6,000 mark since 11 March. Read more: FTSE 100 jumps [...]
Global stocks jump on coronavirus drug hopes April 29, 2020 US stocks have risen sharply at the open and European stocks have turned higher after Gilead said it had seen positive signs from its experimental coronavirus drug remdesivir. Markets climbed despite the sharpest fall in US GDP since the financial crisis. The US’s Dow Jones index was up 1.8 per cent while the S&P 500 [...]
Barclays boss: Government prepared to go ‘well beyond’ £330bn in business support April 29, 2020 Barclays boss Jes Staley has said that the government is prepared to go “well beyond” its initial £330bn coronavirus business rescue package, labelling its efforts so far “an extraordinary tsunami”. Speaking to analysts this morning, Staley said: ‘£330bn was a first indicative number, but I think it’s pretty clear that they are willing to go [...]
Boris Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Symonds gives birth to baby boy April 29, 2020 Boris Johnson’s fiance Carrie Symonds has given birth to a “healthy baby boy” at a London hospital this morning, according to a Downing Street spokesperson. The baby and mother are both said to be doing well. There has been no announcement on what they have named their newborn son, but Coral bookmakers has Alexander as [...]
Barclays’ first quarter profit falls by £600m amid coronavirus disruption April 29, 2020 Barclays’ profit has tumbled to £923m in the first quarter, down from £1.54bn in the same period last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. it revealed today. The bank also booked an impairment charge of £2.1bn, which it said reflected its “initial estimates of the impact of the pandemic”. However, Barclays’ shares jumped five per [...]
Standard Chartered eyes recovery in China as profits tumble 12 per cent April 29, 2020 The coronavirus crisis has pushed Standard Chartered’s pre-tax profits down 12 per cent, but the lender is eyeing signs of recovery in China. However, the lender pointed to “encouraging early signs” of recovery in China. Investors welcomed the optimism with Standard Chartered’s London-listed shares up 3.6 per cent. “We expect a gradual recovery from the [...]