What next for oil prices as US stockpiles slip and hope of China rebound rises August 2, 2023 Oil markets are benefitting from robust demand, with trading on both major benchmarks at a near four month-high.
AstraZeneca: Revenue boost despite welcome end of Covid-19 jab sales July 28, 2023 Britain’s biggest FTSE firm AstraZeneca reported an uptick in sales as oncology treatments helped pick up the slack from falling sales of Covid-19 medicines. The pharmaceutical company made over $22.2bn (£17.3bn) – a four per cent increase – during the first half of 2023, causing shares to spring over three per cent on market open [...]
Standard Chartered announces $1bn buyback scheme after profits soar on rising rates July 28, 2023 Standard Chartered announced a further $1bn (£780m) share buyback after recording better than expected results in the second quarter on the back of rising interest rates. Pretax profit at the bank climbed 18 per cent to $1.5bn, higher than the $1.4bn predicted by analysts. This came thanks to a 29 per cent increase in net [...]
Income falls for Total Energies as refining profits slump July 27, 2023 French oil company TotalEnergies posted a drop in second-quarter net income on Thursday, reflecting lower natural gas prices,
Volkswagen ‘stepping up the pace’ of China transformation as profits dip July 27, 2023 Volkswagen saw revenue growth of 18 per cent to €156.3bn (£134.3bn) in its half-year results, as chip shortage supply chain issues eased and the group ramped up its EV production. However, this was not enough to offset a year-on-year dip in operating profits, which came in at €11.3bn (£9.69bn) down from €13.2bn (£11.32bn). The German [...]
Nissan and Renault reach alliance deal as China struggles mount July 26, 2023 Nissan will invest up to $663m (£513m) in Renault’s new electric vehicle unit, the automakers said on Wednesday, as they finalised terms of their restructured partnership after months of negotiation clouded by tension. Sealing the deal is likely to be seen as a positive. Talks between the two had dragged on months longer than expected, due [...]
A chief exec pay boost won’t make up for ministers failing to stick up for scale-up firms July 26, 2023 Adding an extra zero onto chief executives’ salaries won’t restore the London Stock Exchange to its former glory.
FTSE 100 close: Unilever helps London index squeeze out gains as traders eye Fed and ECB July 25, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 has squeezed out gains in a busy day of company announcements ahead of the summer slow down. The capital’s premier index edged 0.17 per cent higher to 7,691.81 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is a better reflection of the health of the UK economy, was broadly flat at [...]
London Metal Exchange names new chief executive for clearing house as court verdict looms July 25, 2023 The London Metal Exchange has made fresh changes to its senior team, announcing a new chief executive for its clearing house.
UK recession risk just got a whole lot lower after inflation undershoot July 25, 2023 From the Bank of England to recession warnings, Jack Barnett gets under the skin of Britain’s economy in his weekly column Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey would not have been the only person in the City last week breathing a sigh of relief after the better than expected inflation numbers. It was the first [...]