Is the Coronavirus rocking the foundations of capital markets? July 21, 2020 Market commentators and practitioners alike have been at a loss trying to make sense of current events. The economic crisis we are experiencing is unique in history, as it was self-inflicted at a time when, in general, things had been going relatively well. It has been spurious to discuss the technical effects on employment, economic [...]
Begbies Traynor hails ‘strong financial performance’ as revenue surges July 21, 2020 Corporate restructuring specialists Begbies Traynor hailed a year of “strong financial performance” as revenue rose 17 per cent. Shares in the AIM-listed firm rose 0.6 per cent as markets opened. The figures For the full year, Begbies Traynor said that revenue rose from £60.1m to £70.5m, an increase of 17 per cent. However, profit before [...]
HMRC expands probe into Ladbrokes owner GVC July 21, 2020 HMRC has expanded its investigation into Ladbrokes owner GVC’s former online business in Turkey. The probe by the tax authority began in late 2019 and was initially directed at former third-party suppliers over processing of payments at the business GVC disposed of in December 2017. GVC’s chief executive Kenny Alexander stepped down last week after [...]
Government borrowing hits record £128bn in coronavirus quarter July 21, 2020 Government borrowing rocketed to an all-time record £128bn between April and June 2020, official statistics showed today. That was a massive £103.9bn rise compared to the same period in 2019, and more than double the £55.4bn total borrowed in the previous financial year. June borrowing hit £35.5bn for the government, the Office for National Statistics [...]
Exclusive: Ride-hailing app Ola launches new corporate service July 21, 2020 Ride-hailing app Ola will today launch a new service for its corporate clients, City A.M. can reveal. According to the Indian firm, Ola Corporate, which will be available to businesses across the UK, could save firms up to 25 per cent on their travel expenses. The firm said that it was cheaper than alternative services [...]
The Boohoo scandal shouldn’t shock anyone — modern slavery is a pandemic July 21, 2020 No brand today should be “shocked and appalled” at what happens in its own supply chain, as fast fashion brand Boohoo recently claimed to be. To know so little about the sourcing, processes and practices involved in creating a product you sell should be a crime itself. Tales of UK-based sweat shops and modern slavery [...]
‘A day in the life’ of a Chief Investment Officer- Jeff Dorman- Arca TALKS exclusively to BEQUANT July 20, 2020 Jeff Dorman, CFA is a Co-founder and Chief Investment Officer at Arca–an innovative digital asset investment company that combines traditional finance with blockchain technology to offer SEC-registered, 40-Act and hedge fund investment products to institutional and retail investors. Jeff spoke exclusively to BEQUANT, discussing a day in his life post covid-19, how a typical day at [...]
Physical? Hybrid? Virtual? Companies re-imagine AGMs for 2021 and beyond July 20, 2020 Could the annual general meetings (AGMs) of 2021 and beyond look and feel very different? As companies start to consider the future format of corporate set-piece events, so the possibility arises these often sparsely attended gatherings could begin to evolve into significantly more enlightening and engaging occasions. This year’s AGM season largely coincided with lockdown, [...]
Rare earth miner Pensana inks deal with Chinese firm for Angola project July 20, 2020 Rare earth metals firm Pensana has today announced that it is exploring a partnership with China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) to develop its flagship mine in Angola. The project, at Longonjo in the southern African country, is the first new rare earth mine in over a decade. The mine, which is slated to start [...]
Johanna Kyrklund: Are markets paying enough attention? July 20, 2020 Like home-schooled children during the Covid crisis, markets seem to be struggling to pay attention for long. For parents, one of the most difficult parts of lockdown has been home-schooling their children. My social media feed has been full of people tearing their hair out as long-forgotten concepts such as subordinate clauses or trigonometry have [...]