US President Donald Trump is one big step closer to signing his tax overhaul bill into law December 2, 2017 US President Donald Trump is a step closer to passing his sweeping tax overhaul after approval from the US Senate. The bill was passed by 51 to 49 following a flurry of last-minute amendments. Talks between the Senate and the House of Representatives are set to begin next week to create a single bill for [...]
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) chops 680 jobs in the run-up to Christmas as 259 RBS and Natwest branches are marked for closure December 1, 2017 Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has entered December with an unwelcome gift for its employees, announcing 680 jobs will be cut as it marks 259 branches for closure. Blaming the rise of online banking, RBS said it would get rid of 62 Royal Bank of Scotland branches and 197 Natwest branches. Read more: Royal Bank [...]
Films out this week: Wonder review, Happy End review, and The Man Who Invented Christmas review November 30, 2017 Wonder (PG), Director: Stephen Chbosky ★★★☆☆ Jacob Tremblay stole our hearts in Room, and here dons a job-lot of prosthetics to do exactly the same as a Auggie, a young man with facial deformities squaring up to life in a new school. What sounds like a slush-fest of the highest order, particularly when you factor [...]
Palmer & Harvey collapses into administration despite rescue talks with Carlyle Group November 28, 2017 Palmer & Harvey (P&H), the UK’s biggest cigarette supplier, has collapsed into administration despite weeks of crunch takeover talks with private equity firm Carlyle Group, according to reports. PwC was appointed today to handle the administration. Matthew Callaghan, joint administrator and PwC partner, said: “The Palmer & Harvey name has been a trusted partner for [...]
“There will be pain”: Bank of England’s Mark Carney warns against no deal Brexit November 28, 2017 Bank of England governor Mark Carney today warned of “pain” for the British economy in the case of a hard Brexit, with no transition or longer-term trade deal secured between the UK and the EU on trade. Speaking at the Bank’s stress tests of the financial system, Carney said UK banks would be able to [...]
Markets crave political stability after the last few months November 27, 2017 Last week started with a potential political catastrophe as Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats were forced to concede that coalition negotiations with the Free Democrats and Green Party had collapsed two months after the German elections. The election result was bad enough for Mrs Merkel’s party – its worst election result since the end of World [...]
After the hype, this year’s retail extravaganza of Black Friday was a short-lived frenzy November 27, 2017 Just three years ago Black Friday became synonymous with images of customers fighting over heavily discounted goods. The ugly scenes accompanied reports of police and ambulance services being called to stores across the UK, with several people injured in the melees. Fast forward to 2017 and the madness turned to mirth over the weekend as [...]
DEBATE: Is there any point to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in Britain? November 27, 2017 Is there any point to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in Britain? Olga Kotusr, chief executive and founder of retail startup Mercaux, says YES. Black Friday has matured into a major event in the UK retail calendar. While some may be sceptical about it (and the new “Cyber Monday” craze that now follows it), for [...]
Record tax take from financial services as City lobby group urges government to stop Brexit divorce bill penny-pinching November 27, 2017 Businesses need urgent clarification on a Brexit transition deal rather than penny-pinching on the terms of Britain’s so-called divorce bill, according to a top City lobbyist. Catherine McGuinness, the influential policy chair of the City of London Corporation, told City A.M. the government should be prepared to cough up in return for a stronger hand [...]
Coincidence? Retailers’ profit margins have been squeezed since Black Friday hit UK shores, KPMG reveals November 24, 2017 The Black Friday phenomenon seems to be sticking around in the UK, as more and more retailers have extended offers on both sides of the big day. But there could be a darker side to the shopaholic frenzy, according to KPMG. Data compiled by the accountancy firm has found that profit margins of the UK’s [...]