Metro Bank, NatWest and Hospitality UK among top employers to back fertility pledge November 2, 2022 Metro Bank, NatWest, the Co-op, Channel 4, and UK Hospitality are among major employers backing a pledge to help millions going through fertility treatment. A new campaign launched today in Parliament by the MP for Cities of London and Westminster, Nickie Aiken, hopes to support more than 3.5m people who can’t conceive naturally. The Fertility [...]
London’s FTSE 100 gains tamed by traders dumping house builders on property price jitters October 31, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 was tamed today by traders ditching the UK’s largest house builders on fears the property is headed for a sharp slowdown. The capital’s premier index’s gains were held to 0.66 per cent, finishing at 7,094.53 points. The domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK [...]
First of its kind in UK retail: All 60,000 staff at Co-op to be given paid time off for fertility treatments October 31, 2022 In what is considered a unique new policy by a major UK retailer, all 60,000 employees at supermarket giant Co-op will be able to take paid time off for fertility treatments. Co-op’s chief executive, Shirine Khoury-Haq, said that she has gone through the process of fertility treatment herself and wants to create a supportive environment [...]
Difficult decision to come from Sunak and Hunt on bank surcharge October 30, 2022 The government has not ruled out reversing a tax cut on the UK’s biggest banks as it scrambles to overfill a huge hole in the public finances. Asked today by City A.M. if chancellor Jeremy Hunt and prime minister Rishi Sunak would commit to cutting the bank surcharge, an effective windfall tax, the Treasury said [...]
NatWest: No ‘signs of heightened financial distress’ from customers yet October 28, 2022 NatWest has said it is not yet “seeing signs of heightened financial distress” from customers, after posting a £1.1bn flat quarterly profit. Analysts had forecast a pre-tax profit of £1.2bn, with the bank just missing this. Alison Rose, the chief executive, said the big four bank was “acutely aware of the challenges that people, families [...]
HSBC shares sink to bottom of FTSE 100 despite profits topping City forecasts October 25, 2022 HSBC’s profits slid over 40 per cent in the third quarter of the year as it was hit by rising loan losses and hefty charges relating to the sale of its French retail business.
THG shares swell after e-commerce retailer inks banking facility October 25, 2022 Shares in THG have surged after the group reported resilient sales of healthy and beauty products despite consumers tightening their belts. In third quarter results on Tuesday, the e-commerce retailer posted growth of 4.9 per cent in its beauty arm and 2.9 per cent in its nutrition division. Its share price surged by 19 per [...]
UK borrowing costs fall after Sunak wins race to No 10 October 24, 2022 UK borrowing costs fell sharply today after former chancellor Rishi Sunak seized the keys to Number 10 following leadership contender Penny Mordaunt’s withdrawal. Yields on the 10-year gilt fell around 30 basis points today to below four per cent. Yields and prices move inversely. They had been falling in early morning trading after Boris Johnson [...]
Government puts bank windfall tax on table to help plug fiscal hole October 19, 2022 The government has put a windfall tax on the UK’s largest banks on the table, sending their shares plummeting today. London-listed Lloyds Bank, which is Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, plunged to the bottom of the FTSE 100 index today, shedding 4.11 per cent. Previously state-owned NatWest trailed closely behind on the biggest losers’ table, dropping [...]
London’s FTSE 100 dragged down by windfall tax rumours hitting UK banks October 19, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 was dragged lower today by investors ditching UK banks on fears they will be hit by a windfall tax by new chancellor Jeremy Hunt. The capital’s premier index fell 0.17 per cent to 6,924.99 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK [...]