Cambridge Analytica did not misuse data to influence Brexit, watchdog rules October 7, 2020 Disgraced political consultancy Cambridge Analytica did not misuse data to try and influence the outcome of the 2016 Brexit referendum, a major probe has concluded. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has spent three years investigating the use of personal data in political campaigning by the now defunct SCL Elections — the parent company of Cambridge [...]
Rishi Sunak mulls plans to block suspect companies listing on stock exchange October 7, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering plans to block suspect companies from listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) on national security grounds. Sunak is said to be rolling out a consultation on the details over the next few weeks, following mounting pressure from MPs who fear the stock exchange is vulnerable to foreign powers, the [...]
Cairn Energy plunges to $324m loss after hefty one-off charge September 29, 2020 Oil explorer Cairn Energy today booked a $324m (£251.8m) loss for the first half after it was hit by a hefty impairment charge related to its assets in Senegal. However, the FTSE 250 firm said that it had safely managed the coronavirus crisis and was well positioned to generate future growth. The figures In a [...]
Crypto ETP volumes plunge while demand for stablecoins keeps growing September 29, 2020 This week CryptoCompare data shows the price of Bitcoin (BTC) moved from around $10,700 to a $10,250 low before moving sharply up to test the $11,000 mark. A breakout above $11,000 failed and BTC is currently trading around $10,850. Ether (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, started the week around $360 and just like [...]
ING says transaction named in FinCEN files was an administrative error September 23, 2020 ING has hit back at reports citing the FinCEN files that said a Polish subsidiary of the Dutch bank altered the name of a Russian sender on sanctions blacklists on a large payment in 2014 to conceal the sender’s identity. In a statement issued this morning, the lender said the reports were misleading and that [...]
Japan’s Yoshihide Suga: New Prime Minister, same old problems September 21, 2020 All my life I have been fascinated by island kingdoms with honour cultures off large, unknowable continents. For in both the UK and Japan, things are rarely as they seem, and subtext is all. For example, the key to understanding modern Japanese politics is to know that the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is not [...]
Leaked document trove reveals banking giants enabled money laundering September 20, 2020 Some of the world’s biggest banks have been caught enabling trillions of dollars in money laundering to flourish under their watch, thousands of leaked government documents have revealed. The FinCEN Files, named after the US Treasury’s anti-fraud agency, have been shared by Buzzfeed News and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). They claim to [...]
Liam Fox through to next round in WTO director general contest September 18, 2020 Liam Fox, Britain’s pick for the next director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has made it through to the second round of the selection process. The former international trade secretary was nominated by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in July, after current director general Roberto Azevedo stepped down following a seven-year tenure. Three candidates, [...]
Government issues cybersecurity alert for UK education sector September 17, 2020 The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has today issued an alert to the entire education sector over fears that institutions’ cybersecurity is at risk, prompted by the rise in online schooling during the pandemic. Cybersecurity wonks at the NCSC, which is part of the intelligence agency GCHQ, are increasing the support available for UK schools, [...]
Burford Capital gets green light for dual listing in New York September 14, 2020 Aim-listed Burford Capital has received approval from the New York Stock Exchange for a dual listing of its shares. The litigation funder, which listed on London’s Aim exchange in 2009, said it had received approval “subject to customary listing condition”. Burford Capital announced plans to list in the US in July shortly after a renewed [...]