Thomas Cook: Watchdog mulls whether to probe collapsed airline’s accounts September 24, 2019 Britain’s accounting watchdog is looking into investigating whether Thomas Cook breached accounting standards, after the travel giant collapsed yesterday. Nearly 15,000 people returned to Britain yesterday on specially-chartered flights after the firm collapsed under the weight of a £1.7bn debt pile. Read more: Was the collapse of Thomas Cook inevitable? The Financial Reporting Council said [...]
UK fintechs attracting rising investment despite Brexit uncertainty September 23, 2019 UK fintechs are raising increased levels of investment despite domestic and global uncertainty, but the sector is still struggling with recruitment of talent and a significant gender imbalance, new research has found. The total average investment raised so far this year by fintech firms grew a third compared to the same period two years ago, [...]
Helena Morrissey among candidates in running for Bank of England governor job September 22, 2019 Prominent City veteran Dame Helena Morrissey is in the race for the top job as Bank of England governor. The high-flying financier could become Threadneedle Street’s first female boss after making it into a shortlist of candidates being considered to replace Mark Carney next year. Read more: Big banks shift just 1,000 jobs since Brexit [...]
Big banks shift just 1,000 jobs since Brexit vote, EY reports September 20, 2019 Just 1,000 jobs within the big banks have left the City since Brexit, a new report from EY has found. According to the accountancy giant, among the large investment banks monitored in its tracker under 1,000 jobs have already relocated to the continent. Read more: Worldwide climate strikes set to start The figure represents 15 [...]
Sterling falls on lower inflation and Brexit concerns September 18, 2019 Sterling has fallen against the dollar this morning after UK inflation undershot expectations and traders’ nerves grew over Brexit. Read more: Falling computer game prices drag UK inflation to lowest rate in three years The pound was 0.4 per cent lower against the dollar by 10.45am UK time to buy $1.245. Yet the fall was [...]
Lloyd’s of London profits rise to £2.3bn September 18, 2019 Lloyd’s of London has reported pre-tax profits of £2.3bn for the first six months of 2019. The historic insurance market’s profits before tax climbed from £600m in the previous year, with boss John Neal citing “increased discipline” for the rise. Neal said: “It is encouraging that the Lloyd’s market is showing increased discipline in 2019 [...]
PwC partner profits jump to £765,000 despite criticism for poor quality of audit work September 16, 2019 Partner profits at PwC UK increased 7.4 per cent to £765,000 this year, despite the firm receiving a dressing down from the regulator for the decline in the quality of its audit work. Profit for the year to 30 June increased to £1.016bn, up from £935m the previous year. Revenue leapt 12 per cent to [...]
Senior KPMG restructuring partners set for 25 per cent pay rise to stave-off break up September 15, 2019 Senior partners in KPMG’s restructuring division have received a 25 per cent pay rise as the accountancy giant tries to prevent a potential break-up, it was reported this weekend. The Big Four accountancy firm, which has been involved in high-profile business failures, including the collapse of outsourcer Carillion in January 2018, had been holding talks [...]
Sports Direct pleads with big four auditors to check its books September 10, 2019 Sports Direct, the retailer founded by Mike Ashley, is pleading with the big four accountancy firms to audit its books as it worries smaller accountants would not be up to the task. Over the last fortnight the company has sent overtures to the auditors ahead of its annual general meeting tomorrow, Sky News reported. Grant [...]
Investors engaged with environmental and governance issues, but audit and trust lag behind September 10, 2019 The UK’s largest investors are most concerned about environmental and corporate governance issues in the companies they invest in, but need to “step up” in other areas, new research has found. Audit, corporate reporting, trust, and reputation were all identified as areas where the UK’s top asset managers and owners have been “less engaged” in [...]