Bulmers help C&C outperform the alcohol market October 29, 2024 Drinks company C&C has reported results in line with expectations as its core brands Bulmers and Tennent’s outperformed the market. The company has also reconfirmed its commitment to return a minimum of €150m (£125m) to shareholders over the next three years, adding that it has already completed €38m of buybacks. C&C will pay an interim [...]
BP beats estimates despite lower oil prices October 29, 2024 FTSE 100 oil giant BP has reported strong-than-expected earnings for the third quarter. On Tuesday, it posted an underlying replacement cost profit, used as a proxy for net profit, of $2.3bn (£1.8bn) for the three months to 30 September. The figure beat analyst expectations of $2.1bn (£1.6bn), according to an LSEG-compiled consensus. However, the figure [...]
Tech boss warns UK to avoid own goal in Autumn Budget October 29, 2024 The founder and chief executive of a British artificial intelligence (AI) unicorn has urged the government to prioritise innovation in this week’s Budget, warning against policies that could hinder growth for UK tech firms. “I will be watching with huge focus when the Budget is delivered,” Vishal Marria told City AM, adding that “we must [...]
This will-we, won’t-we budget is causing economic harm October 29, 2024 Watching the will-we, won’t-we budget commentary unfold over the past few months has been painful and has caused significant uncertainty across the market. Not to mention that delaying the budget to October following the July election was a misstep, it has resulted in drawn-out public scrutiny of the multitude of possible tax changes on the [...]
Odey Wealth Management enters liquidation October 28, 2024 Odey Wealth Management, a subsidiary of Crispin Odey’s asset management firm, has filed for voluntary liquidation a year after it began winding down its business. Wealth management and accountancy firm Evelyn Partners was brought in as its liquidator last week after the process was approved by the company’s board on 10 October, Companies House filings [...]
Arm the unemployed with digital skills to get Britain back to work October 28, 2024 Any plan to boost growth and prosperity has to start with turning round sick-note Britain and getting people back to work, says Matt Ashley On the 13 June, three weeks after Rishi Sunak made his surprise call for a July General Election, Labour unveiled a manifesto for wealth creation and economic growth. Sir Keir promised [...]
Jeremy Hunt accuses OBR of making a ‘political intervention’ over Labour’s blackhole review October 28, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has used the supposed existence of the £22bn blackhole as a justification to hike taxes in Wednesday's Budget.
Labour’s pro-business boasts ring hollow October 28, 2024 Rachel Reeves once vowed that if Labour won they “would be the most pro-business government this country has ever seen”. With just two days to go until the Budget, that pre-election pledge appears to be in the gutter. Reassuring the business community was an essential part of Labour’s pitch for power, but almost everything they’ve [...]
I’ve had an incredible year as Lord Mayor – here’s to the next 695 October 28, 2024 Next week the 696th Lord Mayor of London takes office followed by the Lord Mayor’s Show. As I reflect on the past year in this, my last mayoral column, I hear the American philosopher, William James: “It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition”. I can tell you it takes [...]
Are we entering the ABBA Voyage era at work? October 28, 2024 AI avatars are about to replace you in meetings. The possibilities are tantalising – and unsettling, writes Paul Armstrong AI avatars are joining our Zoom calls, often before we do. Meeting note-takers, digital clones, even interviewers are now infiltrating the office landscape—often uninvited. This isn’t some distant sci-fi concept; it’s happening now. Is this progress, [...]