Bank of England publishes list of questions asked by suitors for its CBDC wallet January 4, 2023 The Bank of England has revealed more than 70 questions asked by applicants keen to win the contract create a wallet for its CBDC project.
Sainsbury’s boosts pay as part of £205m inflation package January 4, 2023 Sainsbury’s is investing £185m in pay bumps for staff as the supermarket looks to retain staff during a period of high inflation and rising cost of living. Pay will increase to £11 per hour for retail staff, with London workers paid £11.95. It represents a 10 per cent pay hike over the past year when [...]
January blues: Rail strikes hit the return to work – with even London transport affected January 3, 2023 Rail strikes are severely reducing services across the UK train network – with commuters forced to work from home on the first working day of the new year. Some Transport for London services are also affected, with the Elizabeth Line and the London Overground the most badly hit. Some other services – including the stretch [...]
Mining and retail stocks push FTSE 100 into the green after Christmas shopping boost December 29, 2022 The FTSE 100 has been given a boost by its top retail stocks as investors cashed in on the post-Christmas sales shopping, and as China is set to ease its Covid restrictions for inbound travellers from January 8. Among the top performers on London’s leading index on Wednesday were JD Sports Fashion, Next, Kingfisher and [...]
Bank of England receives 20 applications to develop CBDC wallet prototype December 28, 2022 Twenty companies have submitted applications to create a digital wallet for the Bank of England's CBDC project.
From strikes to Avanti West Coast: Here the top five things to look out for in rail next year December 28, 2022 Railway has taken centre stage in the UK public discourse as the tug of war between unions and train operators over the past six months has led to unthinkable misery to millions of people and businesses. Rail minister Huw Merriman said last month the walkouts had cost the UK economy £500m, while hospitality and retail [...]
Made.com customers will not see return of £12m in deposits for pricey furniture December 27, 2022 Tens of thousands of Made.com customers will be left out of pocket by a total of nearly £12m, according to the homeware firm’s administrators. The London-listed sofa seller collapsed this autumn after a consumer crunch caused sales to slow, resulting in hundreds of job losses. Now, a report by PwC administrators has revealed that more [...]
Boxing Day footfall bounce for retail as West End chief calls for recovery help December 27, 2022 Retail destinations across the country reaped the rewards of a Christmas without Covid restrictions as Boxing Day sales enticed shoppers out of their houses. However, business leaders noted footfall was still below 2019 levels and called on the government to help accelerate retail’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic as it grapples with an economic downturn. [...]
Number of takeovers and mergers halved in 2022 but ‘bargain basement prices’ to turn tide in 2023 December 27, 2022 The number of big takeovers and mergers involving UK-listed companies nearly halved this year as investors were deterred by market volatility, political instability and recession fears. But the tide is set to turn in 2023, with buyers eyeing up quality British companies trading at “bargain prices”, experts said. There were 49 bids for London-listed firms [...]
Central London footfall collapses in run-up to Christmas as strikes hit December 25, 2022 Christmas Eve footfall in central London was almost 15 per cent down on the week before as rail strikes effectively wiped out last-minute shopping plans. December 24 is usually a bumper day for retailers as Londoners rush to pick up last-minute gifts before getting trains home, whilst Brits also flock into the capital for a [...]