UK signs £15bn free trade deal with Japan October 23, 2020 Britain has officially signed a trade deal with Japan, marking a major milestone in Brexit negotiations as the UK secured its first agreement as an independent trading nation. The British embassy in Tokyo today announced it has formed the UK–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which was agreed in principle last month. The government said [...]
Finance not fish: The trade deal with Japan focuses on what matters for the City October 23, 2020 Trade talks with the EU remain uncertain, with negotiations focused on issues like fishing that have little bearing for the City. But in the meantime, Japan has given “global Britain” — and particularly the City — something to celebrate. This week’s signing of the UK-Japan free trade agreement secures the UK’s smooth transition from the [...]
Deal or no deal, reports of London’s death are greatly exaggerated October 23, 2020 London has for many years enjoyed the reputation as the world’s leading financial centre. Only New York has ever come close to challenging the capital’s crown — and since 2015 London has generally topped all the rankings. In that time, though, every paean to London’s preeminence has carried the gloomy caveat: “until Brexit”. The received [...]
Wall Street rises as investors cling to hope of stimulus package October 22, 2020 US stocks edged higher after the open today as Wall Street held out for a deal on fiscal stimulus, while the FTSE 100 dipped amid concerns over increasing coronavirus cases in Europe. The benchmark S&P 500 rose as much as 0.26 per cent in the first half an hour of trading, while the Dow gained [...]
City law firms enjoy bumper year for revenues October 22, 2020 London’s legal market has solidified its position as one of the City’s most resilient sectors after a year of strong financials and high pay packets. Despite the double whammy of Brexit and pandemic uncertainty, UK and US firms have managed to secure some of the most remunerative work and solidify London as a leading global [...]
Whisky, stilton and pork pies to be protected in post-Brexit food regulations October 22, 2020 The government today set out new legislation to guarantee the authenticity and origin of traditional British foods such as stilton, pork pies and Scotch whisky at the end of the Brexit transition period. Negotiations between the UK and EU are still ongoing, with time running thin for a trade deal with the bloc before Britain [...]
AJ Bell assets reach £56.5bn as new customers flock to platform October 22, 2020 AJ Bell’s (AJB) total assets under management rose to over £56bn as customers flocked to its broer platform amid the continued market volatility. In a trading update, the investment platform said total AUM had increased eight per cent to £56.6bn, up from £54.3bn at the end of June and £52.3bn in September 2019. The rise [...]
Travis Perkins sales recover amid post-lockdown DIY boom October 22, 2020 Travis Perkins (LON:TPK) sales were boosted by a DIY boom after consumers spent more time at home during lockdown. The company announced this morning that like-for-like sales jumped 3.9 per cent in the third quarter, driven by an increase in home improvement projects. However Travis Perkins, which owns the Toolstation and Wickes brands, said there [...]
UK strikes deal with Norway to continue trade in case of no-deal Brexit October 22, 2020 The UK has signed a temporary agreement with Norway to ensure trade of goods can continue between the two nations in the case of a no-deal Brexit after 31 December
The City View: Francis Maude on ‘defensive’ and ‘deeply flawed’ civil service October 22, 2020 In this episode Christian talks to Lord Maude, a veteran of Tory politics whose career spanned nearly 40 years from the government of Margaret Thatcher to David Cameron’s 2015 majority. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Maude, who was a signatory to the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, talks about the current Brexit negotiations and says [...]