Ex-Barclays banker says disputed Qatar agreement was ‘tremendous boost’ November 27, 2019 Former top Barclays banker Roger Jenkins told a fraud trial in London today that an agreement between the bank and Qatar characterised as a sham by prosecutors was actually a “tremendous boost”. Jenkins, 64, was in the witness box at the Old Bailey as he stood trial for fraud alongside former top Barclays executives Thomas [...]
Food for thought: How Tastecard is helping the restaurant sector November 25, 2019 The restaurant sector is in a crisis. A combination of rising rents, food prices and wage costs, plus a decline in consumer spending, is causing more businesses to close. Research published in September exposed the scale of the problem. According to accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young, the number of restaurants closing in the year to [...]
Trading giant Robinhood makes its UK debut in Revolut challenge November 20, 2019 US fintech Robinhood, a commission-free trading startup valued at $7.6bn (£5.9bn), has today arrived in the UK. The firm’s stock trading service is making its international debut, in a direct challenge to established British rivals Freetrade and Revolut. Robinhood will today roll out the waiting list for its popular app to UK investors, with a [...]
Three more companies ditch sponsorship of Prince Andrew’s Pitch@Palace scheme November 19, 2019 Three more companies said they would no longer support Prince Andrew’s entrepreneurial scheme Pitch@Palace, a day after KPMG jumped ship. International banking giant Standard Chartered was the first to pull the plug. A spokesman confirmed: “We won’t be renewing the sponsorship when it ends in February.” Read more: Corporate sponsors look to desert Prince Andrew’s [...]
Corporate sponsors review links to Duke of York’s Pitch@Palace scheme after disastrous interview November 18, 2019 FIRMS are under scrutiny over their support for Prince Andrew’s Pitch@Palace initiative, as the fallout from the Duke of York’s weekend interview regarding his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues. Founding partner of the entrepreneurs’ mentoring scheme KPMG is said to have decided not to renew its sponsorship, which expired at the end of last month. It [...]
Black Friday 2019: Everything you need to know to find the best bargains November 15, 2019 Black Friday only launched in the UK in the last five years and has quickly become one of the biggest annual shopping events, kicking off the key Christmas trading period. Savvy shoppers can snap up bargains as stores offer huge discounts in the run up to the festive season. Here is everything you need to [...]
Private Equity firm 3i posts 10 per cent return November 14, 2019 Listed private equity firm 3i has reported an increased half-year return of 10 per cent, boosted by good trading performance across its portfolios. The company notched up a total return of £767m for the first six months of the year, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year’s figure. Read more: Cobham buyer Advent [...]
Shop Direct gets £75m injection from Barclay brothers as it looks to plug PPI funding hole November 13, 2019 Shop Direct has been given a £75m equity injection from its parent company as it looks to plug a funding gap from the cost of recent payment protection insurance (PPI) complaints. The online retailer owned by the billionaire Barclay brothers said today that £75m will be invested by way of an equity injection before the [...]
FTSE 100 slumps on UK credit rating downgrade as Hong Kong violence hits Asian stocks November 11, 2019 The FTSE 100 index slumped this morning after Moody’s downgraded its outlook on the UK’s credit rating, while global stocks took a hit on continued uncertainty over US and China trade talks and escalating violence in Hong Kong. The FTSE 100 fell as much as 1.19 per cent this morning to 7,271.5 points. London’s blue-chip [...]
Northern Ireland ‘is an afterthought’ for Brexit-driven voters November 11, 2019 Four in 10 Brits care “little or not at all” about Northern Ireland, a poll from Yougov has found. The pollsters showed both leavers and remainers prioritise Brexit over keeping Northern Ireland in the union. Almost two thirds of Britons would see Northern Ireland leave the United Kingdom in order for their preferred Brexit outcome [...]