Oil prices remain elevated as US refineries ramp up processing while EU edges toward embargo May 25, 2022 Oil prices rose slightly today, buoyed by US refinery processing levels and growing expectations of an EU ban on Russian imports.
The City View: Offshore Energies UK CEO on deleterious effects of a windfall tax May 25, 2022 Today Andy Silvester chats to Deirdre Michie, CEO at Offshore Energies UK. They unpick the windfall tax, the risk it poses for smaller energy firms and the sector in general, the state of the energy industry, and the seemingly lackadaisical speed of the energy transition. In other news: M&S is leaving its Russian franchise business, [...]
More Brits feel disengaged, demotivated or anxious as rising cost of living feeds stress levels May 25, 2022 Our headlines in recent weeks have been dominated by the latest inflation figures, reaching a 40 year high of 9 per cent, as well as the cost of living crisis, which is raging on. As the nation and the media come to terms with the prospect of a recession, one crucial impact of the UK’s [...]
Govt owes itself £263m in back taxes as Whitehall departments failed to comply with payroll rules May 25, 2022 Due to a failure of Whitehall departments to comply with rules on off-payroll working, MPs have stated that the Government owes itself hundreds of millions of pounds in back taxes. The Commons Public Accounts Committee said it was “not acceptable” that central government was paying out to cover tax owed for individuals who had been [...]
The Bank’s climate warnings are too overblown to help May 25, 2022 What was it HSBC’s now-suspended banker Stuart Kirk said about alarmist climate warnings? “Unsubstantiated, shrill, partisan, self-serving, apocalyptic warnings are ALWAYS WRONG” was the title of the slide which has seen him taking some unexpected time in the garden, as he dared to offer the heretical view that reports of the world’s imminent demise may [...]
Many lessons can be learned from drink driving and smoking laws to tackle obesity May 25, 2022 Obesity has been a hot topic over the past week. The government announced it would delay its plan to implement restrictions on junk food marketing and volume-based price promotions. These had been presented as key elements in the strategy to reduce obesity. With a timing which was either impeccable or pure good luck, the Cancer [...]
The City View: Crossrail finally arrives May 24, 2022 Today Andy Silvester talks to Adam Tyndall, Programme Director for Connectivity at London First. They talk all things Crossrail — from the first idea of an East-West railway in the 19th century, to the funding behind the Elizabeth Line, and to the future of London’s transport system. And in other news — Shell’s AGM was [...]
City banks and insurers will book £330bn climate change loss without action to control impact May 24, 2022 The City could lose as much as £330bn over the next three decades if the UK fails to tackle climate change, the Bank of England said today. Firms will struggle to pay back loans due to costs swelling as a result of higher carbon prices, according to conclusions drawn by the Bank from its first [...]
UK economic headwinds cast shadow over Sunak’s cost of living support package May 24, 2022 A slowing UK economy will heap more pressure on the country’s finances, casting doubt over the scale of support chancellor Rishi Sunak will launch to help households through the cost of living crunch. That’s according to economists’ assessments of fresh borrowing figures published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). A combination of rising [...]
Conference firm Hyve has £11.5m pre-tax loss as exit from Russia and insurance proceeds dent recovery May 24, 2022 Conference-organising firm Hyve had a pre-tax loss off £11.5m due to the impact of the ongoing war in Russia and declining insurance proceeds. The exhibition company brought in £58.6m in six months to the end of March this year, more than ten times the previous 12 month’s intake. It did however complete its exit from [...]