Saturday Read: Investors are fleeing Myanmar as coup grows more deadly March 6, 2021 The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, the Norwegian central bank, has put Japanese Kirin Holdings on a watch list for possible exclusion due to its ties to Myanmar’s military, in light of the recent coup and ongoing unrest in the country. The Japanese beverage group Kirin has a partnership and $1.7bn controlling stake in Myanmar [...]
FTSE 100 dips as UK inflation records surprise jump February 17, 2021 The FTSE 100 opened down this morning as the latest data showed UK inflation rose more than expected last month. The blue chip index suffered a 0.46 per cent dip this morning following the surprise 0.7 per cent jump in inflation. The biggest fallers were consumer goods giants Reckitt Benckiser, with a 1.56 per cent [...]
Negative interest rates remain a distant and unlikely prospect February 5, 2021 The BoE effectively gave the financial sector six months to prepare for thepossible use of negative rates, but that should be long enough for the UKeconomy to move into vaccine-fuelled recovery and remove the need forsuch an emergency move, which would also risk unintendedconsequences, according to Ian Williams, economics & strategy research analyst at Peel [...]
Unilever restores confidence as sales jump 3.5 per cent February 4, 2021 Consumer goods giant Unilever today reported underlying sales growth for the fourth quarter, buoyed by strong demand in emerging markets. Sales rose 3.5 per cent for the owner of Persil, Dove and Marmite, meeting analyst predictions. For the full year, sales grew by 1.9 per cent but turnover and underlying profit dropped 2.4 per cent [...]
The week ahead, 1-5 February: FTSE heavyweights front up to third lockdown January 31, 2021 After a turbulent opening to 2021, with new Covid-19 lockdowns around the world, spats over “vaccine nationalism”, and chaos on both Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, a slew of FTSE heavyweights are set to update the market in what will be a crunch week for London’s indices. Despite a strong opening week, the FTSE 100 [...]
Thames have changed: CEOs going green will reap the benefits January 26, 2021 WHEN Paul Polman drank a glass of water drawn from the murky River Thames a decade ago the Dutchman could hardly have imagined how many of his peers would follow suit. Not by matching his dubious consumption, but by attempting to generate more from the companies they run than profit alone. Polman’s stunt took place in November [...]
What dip? New all-time highs for Ether, Link, Aave and UNI January 25, 2021 Crypto at a Glance On Friday, we asked whether a flash crash was just a dip or the start of a more prolonged correction. It was a question that swiftly received an answer, with the dulcet pings of new all-time highs sounding across the land over the weekend. After months of trying, Ethereum finally set [...]
Unilever to ensure suppliers pay living wage by 2030 in new social change drive January 21, 2021 Unilever this morning set out plans to ensure all workers in its supply chain are paid a living wage by 2030 as part of a new wide-ranging social mobility agenda spurred on by the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. The consumer goods giant said its ambition is “to improve living standards for low-paid [...]
Johnson to discuss ‘Singapore of Europe’ plans with business leaders January 18, 2021 Boris Johnson will hold talks with business leaders today about cutting red tape, as ministers draw up plans to turn Britain into the “Singapore of Europe” now it has left the EU. The Prime Minister will speak to 30 senior leaders about “regulatory freedom” and reforming EU rules, The Times reported today. Leaders from BP, [...]
Back to work Monday? Perhaps a four day week is good for all of us January 16, 2021 The idea of moving to a four-day working week has grown in popularity and momentum since Covid, and we’re beginning to see signs that British businesses are warming towards the prospect. Awin, a leading online marketing firm, is currently undertaking one of the biggest trials yet, with their 1,000 strong workforce – including 300 based [...]