Chief of BT’s Openreach blames Brexit for hindering superfast broadband rollout June 14, 2022 Chief exec of BT's Openreach has said the UK's ability to roll out superfast broadband has become increasingly difficult because of “tortuous” recruitment hurdles as a result of Brexit.
Warnings of a profit crisis for retailers as margins shrink in the past decade June 14, 2022 Retail profit margins will plunge to 5.1 per cent in 2022, the lowest level in a decade. Excluding the initial impact of the Covid 19 pandemic and related shop closures, profit margins will drop to the lowest level in a decade, down from 8.3 per cent in 2021. Some 57 per cent of UK consumers [...]
Theo Paphitis: Dragons’ Den star says the high street is going nowhere and neither is he June 14, 2022 Theo Paphitis is not in any hurry to hang up his boots. After decades running the show at companies from lingerie to stationery firms, one might be mistaken for thinking the Dragons’ Den star, retail titan and former Millwall chairman may be mulling a change of pace. However, Paphitis tells City A.M. he has “a [...]
UK could face ‘summer of discontent’ as new railway strike to be balloted June 14, 2022 The UK could face a “summer of discontent” as members of the union TSSA working for Network Rail are to vote on a potential strike action. The TSSA announced 6,000 of its members will vote whether to walk out over pay, conditions and job security. Opened today, the ballot will close on 11 July and [...]
36,000 new millionaires created off back of property boom despite cost of living pinch June 14, 2022 While many Brits continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis, there were 36,000 new millionaires in the UK over the last 12 months. A boom in property helped the High Net Worth Individual (HNWI) population of the UK grow by 6.3 per cent in 2021, as wealth increased by almost 7.5 per cent [...]
Where next for WH Smith shares? June 14, 2022 WH Smith could be one of Covid’s big winners. The retailer is expected to release their latest trading update on Wednesday. It is sometimes said of WH Smith that if it didn’t exist, one wouldn’t invent it. However, the retailer, which is due to post a trading update this Wednesday, could be one of the Covid pandemic’s [...]
A struggle to get credit: Bank lending to hospitality nosedives following end of Covid loans CBILS and BBLS June 14, 2022 Outstanding bank lending to small businesses in the hospitality sector has fallen by more than £1.4bn since the end of CBILS and BBLS loans schemes. According to new data shared with City A.M., bank lending dropped to £14.6bn in April 2022, down from £16.08 billion in March 2021. With the cost of living crisis eating [...]
Letters: The Met’s trust challenge June 14, 2022 [Re: Crime in our capital city will stay high unless confidence in the Met is restored, June 10] As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, we’re seeing fresh waves of concern about a potential spike in crime figures . The Met currently has more police officers than ever before, yet it appears there is still [...]
Watchdog confirms review of petrol market as record prices put pressure on drivers June 13, 2022 The UK's competition watchdog has announced it will undertake a review into petrol station pricing, after a week of pain at the pumps.
Souring UK economic outlook sends London markets tumbling June 13, 2022 Fears that the UK economy is in the teeth of a sharp slowdown triggered a sector-wide sell-off on London markets today. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index slid 1.53 per cent to 7,205.81 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, shed 2.61 per [...]