Delving inside FinTech innovator Prepaid Financial Services October 15, 2019 “Our core strength is achieving consistent profitability,” Valerie Moran, Head of Operations & Client Relations. It’s late on a Wednesday night in the City. PFS’ owners have reached the end of a selfie queue at a private bank after Valerie Moran was invited to deliver a keynote speech on a hot topic – Diversity and [...]
Michel Barnier: Brexit deal ‘still possible this week’ despite difficult talks October 15, 2019 The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said today that reaching a fresh Brexit deal “will be difficult” but that it “is still possible this week”. Barnier told EU ministers in Luxembourg that Brexit negotiations with the UK are “intense” and that “our team are working hard”. Read more: Sterling creeps back up as hopes [...]
Climate activists target bankers during second week of protest October 14, 2019 Hundreds of climate protesters shut down traffic at the heart of the City today, accusing the financial sector of “bankrolling the environmental crisis”. Read more: Extinction Rebellion targets Blackrock in day of City protest Activists from protest movement Extinction Rebellion gathered in the rain at around 7am to begin a “day of disruption” that saw [...]
Markets have shown what a deal could yield October 14, 2019 This is the week in which it will become clear whether Boris Johnson’s government has secured an agreement with the European Union. If he has (and the signs are encouraging, if not yet cause for celebration) then he’s only half way out of the woods. MPs will sit on Saturday — the first weekend sitting [...]
Brexit talks intensify as bid to thrash out a deal continues in Brussels October 12, 2019 Brexit negotiations are set to continue in Brussels over this weekend as both sides move toward a workable deal. Discussions yesterday between EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and UK Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay were labelled by the pair as “constructive”. Read more: EU member states approve the opening of ‘tunnel’ negotiations’ on Brexit Boris Johnson [...]
EU member states approve the opening of ‘tunnel’ negotiations on Brexit October 11, 2019 EU member states have today given permission for Brexit negotiations to enter a new intensive phase, the so-called tunnel. The tunnel is slang for discussions held in secret between a small group of negotiators to try and ensure that offers and counter offers are not disclosed. Read more: Sterling blasts past $1.26 as EU leaders [...]
Sterling blasts past $1.26 as EU leaders welcome Brexit deal progress October 11, 2019 Sterling rose by over one per cent today to smash past $1.26 as EU leaders welcomed signs that the Brexit talks deadlock could finally break. The British pound climbed 1.8 per cent to $1.267 against the dollar as both European Council president Donald Tusk and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier reacted positively to talks between [...]
Michel Barnier and Stephen Barclay have ‘constructive’ meeting on Brexit October 11, 2019 The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and UK Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay had a “constructive” meeting on Brexit today, an EU Commission spokesperson said. “We are working towards a deal,” said the spokeswoman, Mina Andreeva. “If there is a will, there is a way.” Barnier told assembled reporters that Brexit negotiations were like mountaineering. “Brexit [...]
Shares in housebuilders and UK banks jump on new Brexit deal optimism October 11, 2019 Shares in UK housebuilders and banks jumped this morning on renewed optimism a Brexit deal is achievable. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar met yesterday, with Varadkar saying he believes a deal is possible by 31 October. Read more: Sterling barrels past $1.25 as Donald Tusk welcomes progress on Brexit talks [...]
Donald Tusk says he has received ‘promising signals’ from Leo Varadkar on Brexit October 11, 2019 European Council President Donald Tusk said this morning that he had received “promising signals” from Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Brexit. Tusk tweeted “The UK has still not come forward with a workable, realistic proposal. But I have received promising signals from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that a deal is possible. Even the slightest chance [...]