French minister warns against London ‘blackmail’ as second stage of Brexit talks near February 24, 2020 France will not be “blackmailed” into a rushed trade deal between the UK and EU, an Elysee minister has warned, as Brussels prepares to publish its negotiating mandate for the next stage of Brexit talks. Amélie de Montchalin, France’s secretary of state for European affairs, told France24 this morning she would be bringing a “clear [...]
Veganism trend impacts global trade February 24, 2020 As more and more people go vegan for the environment, trade routes for food and drink are expanding Statistics show that the number of vegans and vegetarians is steadily growing. In the UK, it is estimated that one in eight people has ditched meat from their diet, with many more choosing only to eat meat [...]
Why we should stay optimistic as markets navigate uncertainty February 24, 2020 It’s not long since warnings of an upcoming slowdown dominated the British news agenda. But with a Brexit deal in hand and signs of a thaw in the global trade war, uncertainty has lessened and the fear of recession receded. So it is smooth sailing from here? Hardly. New uncertainties are likely to emerge just [...]
Coronavirus: Consumers prepare to cancel holidays over virus fears February 24, 2020 A third of British consumers are prepared to cancel holiday plans if the coronavirus persists. New research from Retail Economics shows that 31 per cent of consumers are prepared to cancel travel plans. It puts £17.2bn of holiday spending on hold as people await clarity over the virus. A disparity in the perception over the [...]
Exclusive: Tory mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey calls for £104m ’emergency crime budget’ February 24, 2020 Tory mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey will attach an amendment to the mayor’s budget in an attempt to inject an extra £104m to the Metropolitan Police’s coffers. The London Assembly will vote on Sadiq Khan’s £17bn 2020-21 mayoral budget at City Hall today. The 25 assembly members can successfully add amendments to the budget, or over [...]
UK digital banks near 20m customers – but growth slows February 24, 2020 Digital banks operating in the UK edged towards 20 million customers in 2019, but slowing customer and deposit growth mean the lenders could face challenges on long term profitability, new figures show. Digital lenders including Monzo, Revolut and Starling gained over six million new customers in the second half of last year to reach a [...]
The cost of redundancy payments in the UK fell 28 per cent last year February 24, 2020 The cost of redundancy payments to UK businesses fell 28 per cent last year, according to analysis published today. Redundancy payments fell to a decade low of £3.3bn in 2018-19, down from £4.6bn the previous year, law firm EMW said. The firm said the sharp fall in the amount paid by UK businesses in redundancy [...]
IG’s June Felix: Shorter trading hours would make London ‘less competitive’ February 23, 2020 The head of one of Britain’s largest trading platforms has become one of the most senior industry figures to speak out against proposals to cut trading hours in London, saying it would not be “helpful” for the City and could make it “less competitive globally”. June Felix, whose company IG Group offers 24-hour trading to [...]
Emmanuel Macron ‘not sure’ a UK-EU trade deal can be reached by deadline February 23, 2020 French President Emmanuel Macron has cast doubt that the UK will strike a trade deal with the EU by the government’s 31 January deadline. Negotiations will begin between Brussels and the UK next month, with issues such as financial services regulation, fishing rights and tariffs set to be at the fore of discussions. Boris Johnson’s [...]
Acid-washed chicken could be on the menu in UK-US trade deal February 23, 2020 Environment secretary George Eustice has refused to rule out the prospect of allowing imports of acid washed chicken under a UK-US trade deal. Food standards post-Brexit has been an ongoing issue in Westminster, with opposition parties claiming the Tories are prepared to allow a diversion from the EU’s stringent rules to strike a trade deal [...]