French union calls for more strikes in response to pension reforms January 1, 2020 French union CGT today called for more strikes after President Emmanuel Macron used his New Year’s address to the nation to promise to push through his planned overhaul of the country’s pension system. Macron said he hoped his government would find a compromise with unions on the reforms soon, but said he would not depart [...]
Hong Kong police fire tear gas during mass New Year protest January 1, 2020 Hong Kong began 2020 with yet more clashes between protesters and police, with the latter firing several rounds of tear gas at crowds during a march that drew tens of thousands of people. The semi-autonomous city has been embroiled in protests for more than six months. What were originally demonstrations against an extradition law have [...]
Boxing Day shopping slump as retailers suffer sharp decline in footfall December 28, 2019 Boxing Day shopping footfall fell at its steepest rate in nine years due to rain and Black Friday deals. In the period up until noon on 26 December, footfall was down by 10.6 per cent on the same period as a year ago, according to data company Springboard. It was the biggest decline since 2010, [...]
FTSE 100 rises on positivity over US-China trade deal December 27, 2019 The FTSE 100 rose for the eleventh straight session this morning, as traders were cheered by positive signs over a US-China trade deal. London’s main index, which is on its best run in three years, adding 0.4 per cent. Miners provided the biggest boost, as Glencore and BHP rose about two per cent each. Read [...]
EU may need to extend trade deal talks with UK, says von der Leyen December 27, 2019 The European Union may have to extend the deadline for talks over a new trading relationship with Britain, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Von der Leyen told French paper Les Echos that both sides need to think seriously about whether there is enough time to negotiate a new trade deal. Read [...]
House prices 2020: How will the UK property market fare next year? December 26, 2019 It’s been a rocky year for the property market, as protracted political uncertainty and affordability problems left house prices largely stagnant in London and across the UK. But with a resounding victory for Boris Johnson in the General Election earlier this month, and the prospect of an end to the Brexit saga in sight, 2020 [...]
Tidy: BBC wins Christmas broadcast battle with Gavin and Stacey special December 26, 2019 The BBC has emerged triumphant in the fight to win Christmas Day eyeballs after a special episode of Gavin and Stacey pulled in 11.6m viewers. The bumper viewing figures mean the hour-long sitcom special was the most-watched show on Christmas Day and boasts the best festive ratings in more than a decade. Read more: Boris [...]
Hong Kong protesters march on shopping centres as Christmas clashes continue December 26, 2019 Hundreds of protesters descended on shopping centres in Hong Kong today in a bid to disrupt business on the third day of Christmas demonstrations. The so-called shopping protests have targeted malls in the financial hub since Christmas Eve, with police firing tear gas to disperse protesters and tourists in the busy areas. Read more: Hong [...]
Boxing Day spending set to fall after Brits cash out on bumper Black Friday December 26, 2019 UK shoppers are set to tighten the purse strings in the Boxing Day sales this year after retailers bagged a record performance over the Black Friday weekend. Brits are expected to spend £3.7bn in post-Christmas sales this year, £200m less than in 2018, according to new figures from Barclaycard. Read more: Super Saturday fails to [...]
City A.M.’s Christmas quiz: How well do you remember 2019? December 26, 2019 Hello and welcome to City A.M.’s Christmas quiz of 2019! You’ve eaten more than your fill of turkey, endured your uncle’s excruciatingly detailed explanation of his plans for a new shed, and played as many games of charades as you can possibly manage without exploding at your cousin, who has apparently never seen Jaws. So [...]