Comcast grows revenue and profit thanks to broadband boost July 25, 2019 Comcast has posted a rise in revenue and profit for the second quarter as an increase in broadband customers helped offset a decline in its TV business. The US media group posted revenue of $26.9bn (£21.5bn) in the three months to the end of June, up 24 per cent on the same period last year. [...]
The rise of the ASMR-tists: The online phenomenon touted as an antidote to anxiety and insomnia July 25, 2019 The slurp of a woman eating soup; the abrupt snip of scissors through hair; the crinkle of tinfoil being scrunched into a ball. For some people, these everyday sounds ignite a mysterious, near-ecstatic sensation known as Auto Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). This reaction is characterised by a kind of low-level euphoria, similar to the prickly [...]
Metro Bank drafts in new non-exec director ahead of results July 24, 2019 Metro Bank has appointed a former senior Bank of Ireland boss to be its latest new independent non-executive director, as the troubled lender ramps up its management reshuffle following a tumultuous six months. Michael Torpey, a former senior executive at Bank of Ireland, is set to to join Metro Bank’s board in September, becoming the [...]
Struggling Deutsche Bank misses estimates as losses exceed €3bn July 24, 2019 The scale of troubles at Deutsche Bank were laid bare this morning after the German lender posted worse-than-expected losses over the last quarter. Read more: Metro Bank’s chair to step down Dented by costs from a major business overhaul, the embattled bank reported quarterly losses of €3.15bn (£2.7bn) over the three month period, missing its [...]
Passport-maker De La Rue under investigation by fraud squad over suspected corruption July 23, 2019 Passport and banknote-maker De La Rue said today it is under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over suspected corruption. De La Rue told the stock market this afternoon that the SFO had opened an investigation into the company and its associated persons in relation to suspected corruption in South Sudan. De La Rue’s [...]
Ranked: These are the UK’s worst broadband and mobile firms July 23, 2019 Plusnet has topped a list of highest number of complaints for a broadband provider for the second quarter in a row. The Sheffield-based telecoms firm received 31 complaints per 100,000 customers between January and March, according to figures published today by regulator Ofcom. Read more: Which telecoms companies have the worst customer service? Plusnet was [...]
Countdown to Brexit: What Boris Johnson must do in his first 100 days as Prime Minister July 23, 2019 The political world has thrown up some unexpected events in recent years, but Boris Johnson failing to win the Conservative leadership contest today would surely top the lot. The former foreign secretary has been the favourite to succeed Theresa May even before she announced her resignation, and today the election results showed he won with [...]
Beazley profits almost triple as policy premiums rise July 23, 2019 Beazley has raised its outlook as profits more than doubled in the first half of its financial year, with the insurer hailing higher policy rates after years of expensive payouts for natural disasters. Read more: Profits halve as Beazley endures natural disaster losses The figures Beazley recorded higher profit before tax of $166.4m, an increase [...]
Speculation mounts over potential job cuts at UniCredit July 22, 2019 Fears of a severe job cull at UniCredit emerged this evening, rocking Europe’s banking sector just weeks after rival Deutsche Bank swung the axe on its own staffing operations. Italy’s largest bank is understood to be weighing up a move to slash 10,000 jobs as part of a new cost-cutting strategy. Read more: Metro Bank [...]
Families feel ‘ripped off’ by overseas holiday costs July 22, 2019 Two-thirds of families felt “ripped off” on their last trip abroad, with the cost of making card payments the biggest annoyance for British holidaymakers. Travellers can be hit with extra charges of around 2.7 per cent for each card transaction while abroad, as well as fees at cash machines. Read more: Heathrow summer strikes threaten [...]