CMA launches investigation into Non-Standard Finance’s hostile takeover of Provident May 29, 2019 The competition watchdog has launched a merger inquiry into Non-Standard Finance’s (NSF) hostile takeover of rival sub-prime lender Provident. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) called in the offer this morning to investigate whether the merger would create a “substantial lessening of competition” in the market, a week before the takeover bid could be declared [...]
Taking the higher ground rent: How homeowners can stop themselves falling victim to dubious leasehold contracts May 28, 2019 Finally able to buy your first home, you skip away from the rat race that is the rental system, proudly boasting the much-revered title of “homeowner”. And yet, if you’ve bought a leasehold property, it might not be the picket-fenced dream that you’d bargained for. Millions of UK properties, typically flats, are sold as leasehold. This [...]
Competition watchdog accuses drugs companies of illegal market sharing May 23, 2019 The competition watchdog today said it was launching a probe into four pharmaceutical companies which it said colluded to raise the price the NHS paid for a nausea treatment medicine. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had provisionally found that Alliance, Focus, Lexon and Medreich had agreed not to compete for the supply [...]
Health groups urge social media firms to end tobacco influencer marketing May 22, 2019 More than 125 public health groups have called on social media giants to end the promotion of tobacco products on their platforms, including through the use of influencers. In an open letter to the bosses of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, the organisations called for an end to the “aggressive” advertising of all tobacco products [...]
Apple vows to be more open about iPhone performance after consumer law concerns May 22, 2019 Apple has pledged to be more transparent about the battery health and performance of its iPhones, the competition watchdog said today. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the US tech firm has vowed to be “clearer and more upfront” with iPhone users following concerns it might be breaching consumer law. Read more: Former Apple [...]
Pret A Manger eats Eat but vows to go veggie in new stores May 22, 2019 Sandwich chain Pret A Manger said today it has agreed to buy rival British chain Eat. Pret plans to convert as many of Eat’s shops as possible to Pret stores serving vegetarian food in response to what it said was a growing consumer demand for more vegan and vegetarian options on the high street. Pret’s chief [...]
British competition watchdog to probe JD Sports’ £90m Footasylum merger May 17, 2019 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating JD Sports' merger with Footasylum, it confirmed today. JD Sports recently completed the acquisition of Footasylum in a deal worth £90m. Read more: Thomas Cook shares crash as investors urged to sell Both JD Sports Fashion and owner of Footasylum, the Pentland Group, have been issued with an initial [...]
Asda sales dip on Easter timing as IPO interest mounts May 16, 2019 Asda reported a fall in like-for-like sales today following the later timing of Easter, amid growing City speculation over a possible floatation for the Walmart-owned grocery giant. Like-for-like sales at the group tumbled 1.1 per cent as a result of the holiday shift in the three months to the end of March, Walmart said today, [...]
Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland among five banks hit with €1bn fine for forex rigging May 16, 2019 The EU Commission has fined five banks €1.07bn (£940m) for rigging foreign exchange markets for 11 currencies, it announced today. Competition regulators fined Barclays, The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Citigroup, JP Morgan and MUFG Bank, while UBS was not fined as it revealed the existence of the rigging to the regulator. In the first [...]
KPMG UK introduces new audit structure but falls short of full separation May 16, 2019 Big Four firm KPMG said today it was introducing a new structure to move its audit arm away from the rest of its UK business, but falling short of a full separation. The move follows a report from the Competition and Markets Authority which called for a separation of audit from consulting services after a [...]