Bunzl shares rise as demand for cleaning kit spikes amid pandemic June 15, 2020 Bunzl’s share price rose considerably in early trading today as it revealed half-year revenue is set to rise despite the pandemic. The FTSE 100 outsourcer said it expects revenue to the end of June to climb around six per cent despite the impact of coronavirus. That sent shares up six per cent to 1,997p. Hailing [...]
Lloyds prepares to downsize UK office space June 14, 2020 Lloyds Banking Group is exploring options to reduce its property footprint, as more staff transition to home working. The bank’s people and property director Matt Sinnott told staff this week that while no closures were certain, Lloyds will be seeking to consolidate its presence to six strategic hubs across the UK. “In the longer term [...]
UK economy: Five charts that show we face a long road to recovery June 13, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has plunged the UK economy into an unprecedented crisis, with GDP shrinking by a record 20.4 per cent April as lockdown measures hammered businesses. The Bank of England has warned that Britain could be heading for its deepest recession in three centuries this year. It is widely believed that April will mark [...]
Executive at League of Legends creator resigns over George Floyd post June 12, 2020 A top executive at the games giant behind the successful online multiplayer League of Legends has stepped down over a Facebook post he wrote about the death of George Floyd. Ron Johnson, who was global head of consumer products at Riot Games, posted a meme which featured the criminal history of Floyd, who was killed [...]
City welcomes move to ease post-Brexit border controls June 12, 2020 Business groups have reacted favourably to the government’s decision to u-turn on imposing full border checks on all EU goods entering the UK after the Brexit transition period ends. Border controls will now be introduced over three stages up until July 2021, with Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has accepting that businesses should not have [...]
Boris Johnson urges public to avoid ‘hijacked’ London protests and defends Churchill statue June 12, 2020 Boris Johnson has urged the public to stay away from Black Lives Matter protests planned in London this weekend amid fears of violence after being “hijacked by extremists”. Black Lives Matter organisers have cancelled London protests that were set to start at 1pm in Hyde Park tomorrow after right-wing groups planned to join. Today’s protest [...]
Churchill statue and the Cenotaph: London monuments boarded up ahead of protests June 12, 2020 London’s iconic statue of Sir Winston Churchill and the Cenotaph have been boarded up as fears of violence grow over Black Lives Matter protests set to take place this weekend. Protective fences were placed around both memorials overnight as officials anticipate they could become hotspots for clashes between protesters during demonstrations this weekend. London mayor [...]
Brexit trade talks: UK ‘U-turns’ on full border checks for EU goods June 12, 2020 The UK government has reportedly U-turned on its plan to implement full border checks with the EU from 1 January 2021 after Brexit. Ministers are under increasing pressure from businesses not to deliver a no-deal Brexit as the UK’s recovery from coronavirus looks likely to be a slow one. So far Boris Johnson’s government has [...]
UK economy shrinks 20 per cent in April lockdown in worst ever month June 12, 2020 The UK economy shrank by a record 20 per cent in the first full month of lockdown as shops sent workers home to close for the duration of April. Activity in the UK economy contracted by 20.4 per cent in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said today, marking the single largest monthly drop [...]
Microsoft trumps Amazon in refusal to sell facial recognition software to police June 11, 2020 Microsoft has become the third tech giant to declare a moratorium on selling its facial recognition software to police, as companies weigh in on the global debate surrounding the latter’s use of violence against communities of colour. Though it does not currently sell its technology to police, Microsoft president Brad Smith said that it will [...]