RMT union announces 27 days of South Western Railway strikes in December November 5, 2019 Train staff on a major London rail network are preparing to down tools for 27 days throughout December, amid a long-running dispute that threatens to wreck commuters’ Christmas holidays. The Rail and Maritime Transport (RMT) union accused rail operator South Western Railway (SWR) of failing to give assurances that train guards will be kept on under a [...]
Exercise startup Peloton narrows losses November 5, 2019 Fitness startup Peloton narrowed its losses in its first quarter despite pushing forward with expansion plans and investment in its online platform. The company posted a loss of $49.8m (£38.71m) in the three months to 30 September, reducing the figure by $4.8m on the previous year as the firm continued to target international growth. Read [...]
Jewellery maker Pandora warns of steeper sales decline November 5, 2019 Jewellery retailer Pandora this morning warned of a steeper fall in sales this year, as it said efforts to revitalise the brand had weighed on costs in the third quarter. Pandora said organic growth in 2019 is expected to be minus seven per cent to nine per cent, compared to previous guidance of a three [...]
UK consumer spending growth slows under Brexit uncertainty November 5, 2019 UK consumer spending slowed in October, a new report has shown, as Brits remained cautious with their money in the run-up to the missed 31 October Brexit deadline. Read more: UK economy to hit decade low even with Brexit deal, report warns Spending at the shops grew by 1.5 per cent in October year on [...]
Royal Mail says it will prioritise general election post in event of strike action November 4, 2019 Royal Mail said today it will prioritise general election-related mail in the event of a threatened strike. Communications Workers Union (CWU) members have voted for a pre-Christmas strike, accusing bosses of failing to live up to an agreement reached last year over issues including pay and conditions. Royal Mail wrote to the CWU last Tuesday [...]
Big Four firm KPMG denies reports of partner cuts amid cost-cutting drive November 3, 2019 KPMG has denied reports that it is gearing up to cut 10 per cent of its UK partners, as the Big Four accountant presses on with a significant cost overhaul. The company is said to be preparing to let about 65 partners go by Christmas, after a review of individual performance, according to the Financial [...]
Christmas can come too early – or at least the adverts can November 3, 2019 It’s just days since Halloween, but the Christmas advert season is well and truly upon us already. But not everyone is feeling festive yet. Market researcher Kantar Group has revealed that 67 per cent of shoppers think the adverts are too early. Read more: Toxic Tube a health hazard for commuters On the other hand, [...]
Sir Philip Green in talks to secure £300m by Christmas November 3, 2019 Embattled retail magnate Sir Philip Green is in talks with lenders about borrowing more than £300m that he needs by Christmas to pay off a loan secured against his flagship Oxford Street Topshop store. Read more: Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia reveals huge losses amid CVA controversy Among the possible suitors is US private equity company [...]
Sajid Javid delays appointment of new Bank of England governor November 1, 2019 The eagerly-anticipated appointment of the new Bank of England governor has been pushed back until after the general election. Chancellor Sajid Javid has delayed the announcement of a successor to Mark Carney, who is leaving the role on Threadneedle Street at the end of January next year. Read more: BBC data breach reveals names of [...]
Google, Apple and Facebook enabling illegal slave sales, investigation finds October 31, 2019 Tech giants Google, Apple and Facebook are enabling an illegal online slave market in which domestic workers are bought and sold through apps, a BBC News Arabic investigation has found. Google and Apple have approved and provided apps used for the sale of domestic workers on their app stores, while programme-makers found hundreds of domestic [...]