Morrisons push ahead with plans to open automated grocery store as ‘pingdemic’ continues to hit supermarkets July 19, 2021 Morrisons are said to be close to unveiling an unmanned pilot store to the public “within months”, as they look to follow Amazon’s lead in modernising the approach to grocery shopping. The store will rely on shoppers to scan their smartphones upon entry before having digital cameras follow their every step in store to check [...]
Belu CEO, Natalie Campbell, on how the ethical bottled water company navigated the pandemic July 19, 2021 Natalie Campbell faced an instant crisis when lockdown began just days after she became CEO of Belu. She tells Lysanne Currie how the ethical bottled water company navigated the pandemic, and is now ready to thrive once more. This article first appeared in ICAS’ CA magazine. Natalie Campbell was just 15 when she decided she [...]
Health Secretary Sajid Javid tests positive for Covid-19 July 17, 2021 The new health secretary Sajid Javid has announced he’s tested positive for coronavirus and has “mild symptoms”. “This morning I tested positive for Covid,” Javid wrote in a tweet. “I’m waiting for my PCR result, but thankfully I have had my jabs and symptoms are mild. “Please make sure you come forward for your vaccine [...]
US stocks fall despite upbeat retail sales in June July 16, 2021 An unexpected rebound in retail sales was not enough to prevent falls among US stocks on Friday. The blue-chip S&P 500 dropped 0.22 per cent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 0.22 per cent. The Dow Jones lost 0.23 per cent during morning trading. The losses came as the US Labour Department released figures showing retail [...]
Bitter Summer: Asterley Bros’ Vermouth and Amaro July 16, 2021 Summer might finally be arriving in London this weekend, with a forecast for sun and temperatures expected to hit 30°C on Sunday. It’s the perfect weather for a tall, refreshing cocktail made with ice-cold tonic water and an Italian aperitivo. But if England’s loss in the Euros has left a bitter taste in your mouth, [...]
Burberry stock drops as CEO departure spooks investors July 16, 2021 Shares sank 5.5 per cent in luxury fashion brand Burberry today, dragging its total share price to 1,955 as investors seemed uncertain about the company’s direction following its CEO’s exit. The brand pulled in £479m in revenue over the past three months despite over ten per cent of its stores remaining closed due to Covid [...]
Pingdemic shutdown: No industry untouched by NHS Test and Trace havoc July 16, 2021 Staffing shortages have turned manufacturing, bin collections, retail, transport and healthcare upside down as the NHS Test and Trace app “pinged” more than half a million people into isolation last week. The contact tracing app’s sensitivity is now under review after reports that the app is “pinging wrong” and Brits are being told to self-isolate [...]
FTSE pushes higher as City awaits Monday’s reopening July 16, 2021 London’s markets rose this morning as the City geared up for Monday’s loosening of coronavirus restrictions and the unlocking of the rest of the economy. Both the FTSE 100 and mid-cap sibling the FTSE 250 are up 0.4 per cent so far today, pushed higher by a raft of heavyweight stocks. Although energy group DCC [...]
Government unveils new ‘hospitality strategy’ to boost sector post-Covid July 16, 2021 The UK’s hospitality businesses are set to receive increased support through the government’s vocational training programmes in a bid to boost the sector post-Covid. The new “hospitality strategy” will also see the government work with the British Business Bank and other lenders to “support access to finance for hospitality firms so they can invest in [...]
US stocks lose ground despite strong jobless claims July 15, 2021 US stocks fell on Thursday despite strong jobless claims data strengthening the outlook for the American economy. The blue chip S&P 500 dropped 0.65 per cent today, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 1.14 per cent on falls among growth stocks. The Dow Jones slipped 0.17 per cent. Read more: US stocks muted as Powell moves [...]