The trials and tribulations of tapping new tech November 7, 2017 "Neither Redbox nor Netflix are even on the radar screen in terms of competition.” Those are the words of Jim Keyes, the former chief executive of video rental giant Blockbuster back in 2008. Just five years after Keyes made that statement, Blockbuster went bust, swallowed whole by the mighty online streaming service that is Netflix. [...]
Sink, swim, or build a lifeboat: Tips for surviving Open Banking November 7, 2017 Open Banking, which comes into place January 2018, is a landmark development for the banking industry. It will force banks to open up their Advanced Programming Interface (API). This may sound like a dry compliance point, but the reality is far from it. With customer permission, competitors will be able to access banks’ enormous – [...]
Brent oil price hits two-year high after Saudi corruption purge November 6, 2017 The price of Brent crude surged to its highest point since mid-2015 today after the Saudi Arabian crown prince purged the ranks of the country’s elite. The price of North Sea benchmark Brent crude oil futures rose by well over three per cent to hit $64.44 per barrel. Meanwhile West Texas Intermediate (WTI) hit highs [...]
Facebook makes fintech move with UK launch of p2p payments via Messenger feature November 6, 2017 Facebook is making its first foray into finance in the UK with the launch of a new feature which lets users send and receive payments via Messenger. Cash can be transferred with just a message and users can even add emojis and gifs. Facebook’s artificial intelligence powered virtual assistant for Messenger, called M, will also [...]
Queen and US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross among prominent figures featured in Paradise Papers November 5, 2017 A massive trove of leaked legal documents from an offshore law firm has exposed financial arrangements of well known public figures ranging from the Queen to a key member of Donald Trump’s cabinet. The documents, which were obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), reportedly contain [...]
President Donald Trump has spoken to Saudi king about Aramco listing in US on NYSE or Nasdaq November 5, 2017 Donald Trump has spoken with the Saudi king about listing oil giant Aramco in the US, the President has revealed, and it’s something the country is considering. Speaking on a visit to Japan on Sunday Trump said he “just spoke to the king a while ago and they will consider it”. It comes a day [...]
Billionaire Saudi prince with Twitter, Apple, Canary Wharf and London Savoy investments Alwaleed bin Talal detained in anti-corruption crackdown November 5, 2017 The billionaire Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal known for his investments in top tech firms such as Twitter and Apple, has been detained as part of an anti-corruption crackdown by the country’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. Shares in his Saudi-listed business Kingdom Holdings plunged more than nine per cent on the Saudi stock exchange [...]
Bonfire Night 2017: British consumers spend £497m on fireworks night November 4, 2017 It’s fireworks weekend, with the majority of Brits planning to either attend a display or host their own Bonfire Night celebration. But new research from Wonga has found that even in an environment where most consumers are spending less on leisure activities, many are willing to see their cash go up in smoke for the [...]
Leo Varadkar unable to get Tim Cook’s commitment to Apple data centre in Athenry, County Galway, Ireland November 4, 2017 Apple’s plans to build a data centre in Ireland are in doubt after chief executive Tim Cook would not make a firm commitment in a meeting with the Taoiseach. Leo Varadkar visited Apple’s headquarters while on a trade mission to San Francisco, noting on his Twitter that Apple employs more than 5,000 people in Ireland. [...]
Bonfire Night 2017: British consumers spend £497m on fireworks night November 4, 2017 It's fireworks weekend, with the majority of Brits planning to either attend a display or host their own Bonfire Night celebration. But new research from Wonga has found that even in an environment where most consumers are spending less on leisure activities, many are willing to see their cash go up in smoke for the [...]