On-demand pay: is it here to stay? March 16, 2021 Millions around the globe depend on regular salaries and plan their budgets based on paydays. But the lockdown has made personal budgeting much more challenging. Many workers have lost their job and many others are now working remotely. Compounding near universal worries about future and immediate financial security are the added stress and logistical challenges [...]
Deloitte diversity chief ‘facing internal investigation over bullying claims’ March 5, 2021 Deloitte’s deputy chief executive and diversity champion Dimple Agarwal is facing an internal probe over allegations of bullying. Agarwal, head of “people and purpose” at the Big Four auditor, is facing complaints from staff over inappropriate working practices such as communicating aggressively and making employees attend extremely early meetings, the Telegraph first reported. Having joined [...]
PwC and EY: Our restructuring arms are not for sale March 4, 2021 Big Four firms PwC and EY have insisted they have no plans to follow in the footsteps of rivals KPMG and Deloitte and sell the restructuring units of their businesses. Selling restructuring units is in vogue at Big Four firms. This morning KPMG announced it had signed an unconditional agreement with private equity firm HIG [...]
Budget 2021: Government to guarantee five per cent mortgages on homes up to £600,000 March 3, 2021 The government will introduce a new scheme that will allow individuals to put down just a five per cent deposit on homes valued up to £600,000. From April, the government will introduce a the scheme that will provide a guarantee to lenders across the UK that offer mortgages to people with a deposit of five [...]
Budget 2021: UK tech sector ‘delighted’ with spending plans March 3, 2021 The UK’s thriving tech sector has hailed Rishi Sunak’s spending plans in the Budget today, saying the chancellor was “backing tech in a big way”. Announcing the Budget this afternoon, Sunak unveiled a raft of new measures aimed at boosting both startups and established tech firms. “This government should be applauded for committing heavily to [...]
UK PMIs: Services activity stabilises after lockdown plunge March 3, 2021 UK services activity continued to contract last month, but bounced back from January’s dramatic tumble on optimism about a potential end to the pandemic. The IHS Markit/Cips purchasing managers (PMI) index for services registered 49.5 in February, with any score below the 50 mark indicating contraction. It came in just below analyst expectations of a score of [...]
Budget: What should Rishi Sunak prioritise to boost UK manufacturing? March 2, 2021 Government borrowing has now exceeded £270bn in this financial year, according to the Office for National Statistics. While under normal circumstances, this may have raised some eyebrows, we are still operating in unprecedented times. Despite the significant COVID-19 relief bill, further investment stimulus is required, and the UK manufacturing sector will be hoping this is [...]
Financial services firms move £1.3 trillion to EU following Brexit vote March 2, 2021 Financial services firms move £1.3 trillion to EU following Brexit vote
Want to boost UK exports? Help ignored service providers March 1, 2021 As the UK economy seeks to recover from the twin disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and a new trading relationship with Europe – making sure that we have a robust return of UK trade flows will be a crucial element of this. There are easy wins that the Government and Department for International Trade can secure. Ensuring [...]
German accounting watchdog head to step down in wake of Wirecard scandal February 24, 2021 The head of Germany’s accounting watchdog in stepping down, after coming under fire for failing to spot wrongdoing ahead of the collapse of the payments company Wirecard. The agency, formally known as the Financial Reporting Enforcement Panel (FREP), said in a statement on Wednesday that President Edgar Ernst is leaving his post at his own [...]