First Utility shakes up board as it kicks back IPO plans October 4, 2016 The UK's biggest energy challenger First Utility is reportedly shaking up its board as it delays plans to go public. It comes after a disappointing outcome of a competition investigation into the Big Six energy suppliers. First Utility will announce tomorrow that current chairman, Dr John Roberts, is to step down and be replaced by Thomas Chambers, [...]
Bupa giving dentistry chain Oasis a check up as preliminary talks for a bid get underway October 3, 2016 Private healthcare group Bupa is weighing a takeover bid for dentistry chain Oasis. Oasis, currently owned by private equity firm Bridgepoint, could be worth in the region of £500m, though reports of its value vary. Bupa has held preliminary talks with Oasis Healthcare's management and shareholders about a deal, it was first reported by Sky News. Discussions are said to [...]
Chancellor Philip Hammond to reset George Osborne’s fiscal policies October 3, 2016 Chancellor Philip Hammond will say today that he is building a "new plan" for the "new circumstances" Britain is in, promising to break away from his predecessor's policies. Hammond is expected to say Osborne's approach was right "at that time", but that things are set to change because "when times change, we must change with [...]
Paranoid about androids: Brits fear AI October 2, 2016 Brits are increasingly fearful of the impact robots could have on our society in the future. New research reveals over half of UK adults (58 per cent) are worried about the impact of robots, with two fifths (41 per cent) believing robots will destroy humanity as we know it. The survey, commissioned by Sky, echos [...]
Lights out for one National Grid gas unit bidder October 2, 2016 One of the bidders vying for National Grid's gas unit is no longer in the running. Sky News said last week that a consortium including sovereign wealth funds from Abu Dhabi and Kuwait, as well as pension funds from the UK and Canada, was told that it had failed to make it through to the [...]
Post-Brexit demand for residential property is good news for developers and investors September 30, 2016 An attractive capital, offering high value jobs, an educated workforce, stunning architecture, centuries of history, a peerless reputation for arts and culture and some of the best schools in Scotland, Edinburgh remains a highly sought after property market. With demand sky high, across both the owner-occupier and private rented (PRS) sectors, prices and rental yields [...]
US economy set to feast out on super-size food exports September 29, 2016 The US economy is set to come roaring back to life in the second half of the year on the back of a bumper summer food harvest. Figures out this afternoon showed the world's largest economy grew by 1.4 per cent on an annualised basis in the second quarter of the year – a slight upwards [...]
A rare Black Moon will rise over the capital on Friday: Here’s everything we know September 29, 2016 A rare astrological event will take place this Friday: a so-called black moon will rise above the capital. It only happens once every couple of years. Here's what you need to know. What is a black moon? It's essentially the opposite of a blue moon. So whereas a blue moon is when two full moons take place [...]
Exports set for £20bn Brexit boost after sterling’s dramatic plunge September 28, 2016 Goods exports will jump by £20bn over the next year, cushioning the UK economy from a slowdown caused by the EU referendum, Standard and Poor's (S&P) has argued. In a new report assessing the impact of the Brexit vote on the UK and Europe, the ratings agency also stuck by its claims the UK will avoid [...]
BT, TalkTalk, and Vodafone all perform badly in latest set of Ofcom complaints data September 28, 2016 Telecoms watchdog Ofcom has revealed the best and the worst performers when it comes to customer complaints for broadband, landlines, mobile, and pay TV. Complaints figures are presented per 100,000 customers and covers the three-month period from April to June 2016. BT topped the list of broadband complaints, followed by its subsidiary Plusnet, with 26 and 23 respectively. The industry [...]