Why I’m calling for a £15bn National Renewal Fund to support growing businesses October 27, 2020 Some 90 years ago, a government committee set up to examine the health of the British economy identified a persistent shortfall in funding for small and medium-sized businesses. This shortfall was termed the Macmillan Gap — named not after the politician but after the Scottish lawyer, Hugh Macmillan, who chaired the committee. As the saying [...]
Former prime minister David Cameron backs black internship initiative October 26, 2020 Former Prime Minister David Cameron is among high-profile figures who have thrown their weight behind a new initiative aimed at increasing the number of internships available to black candidates. The 10,000 Black Interns initiative, set to launch tomorrow, is designed to boost the number of paid work experience positions for young black people in major [...]
Wall Street leads global stocks slump as Covid-19 infections rise October 26, 2020 Wall Street suffered its worst daily decline in weeks today as global stock markets posted losses amid a rise in new Covid-19 infections. There was a sea of red across the major US indices as markets closed this evening, with the S&P 500 posting its sharpest daily fall in four weeks. The downbeat sentiment across [...]
Banks hike mortgage interest rates amid boom in applicants October 24, 2020 Banks are reportedly hiking mortgage interest rates in order to deter prospective buyers as they struggle to meet a spike in demand for home loans amid a buoyant housing market. Lenders are turning away mortgage business as the ability to process applications has been slowed by home-working during the coronavirus pandemic. The housing market has [...]
Jes Staley confirms intention to stay on as Barclays beats expectations October 23, 2020 Jes Staley has signalled his intention to remain at the helm of Barclays after the bank reported better-than-expected results in the third quarter. In a call with reporters Staley said he would like to lead the bank for two more years, after Barclays today reported a return to profit for its consumer division. Between July [...]
BoE deputy says the ‘time is not right’ for negative interest rates October 21, 2020 High levels of economic uncertainty and a bruised banking system mean now is not the time to experiment with negative interest rates, a deputy governor of the Bank of England has said. Sir Dave Ramsden today struck a more cautious tone on the novel monetary policy than his colleague Gertjan Vlieghe did yesterday. Vlieghe said [...]
BoE deputy says the ‘time is not right’ for negative interest rates : CityAM October 21, 2020 High levels of economic uncertainty and a bruised banking system mean now is not the time to experiment with negative interest rates, a deputy governor of the Bank of England has said.Sir Dave Ramsden today struck a more cautious tone on the novel monetary policy than his colleague Gertjan Vlieghe did yesterday. Vlieghe said he [...]
London is the toughest place to be an entrepreneur, report finds October 21, 2020 London is the toughest place in the UK to be an entrepreneur due to a huge wealth disparity and a higher cost of living, according to a new report. The government-funded British Business Bank (BBB) and management consulting firm Oliver Wyman have today published a report into the huge impact ethnic and economic background as [...]
Natwest vows to boost number of black employees in senior roles October 20, 2020 Natwest has vowed to boost the number of black staff in senior roles from one per cent to three per cent, as the British bank seeks to shake up its image as part of a new racial equality pledge. The boost would bring Natwest’s diversity in line with the black population in England and Wales, [...]
Treasury Committee demands update on bank signature forgery allegations October 15, 2020 An influential committee of MPs have demanded an update from the City watchdog and National Crime Agency on their investigation into allegations of widespread signature forgery at British banks. The Treasury Select Committee first asked the Financial Conduct Authority and NCA to investigate allegations that banks used forged signatures on an industrial scale, leading to [...]