Stumbling economy allows insolvency specialists Begbies Traynor to cash in after acquisition spree July 11, 2023 Insolvency specialists Begbies Traynor upped its dividend after it saw its pretax profit increase by half in 2023. Pretax profit climbed to £6m from £4m the year before, ahead of market expectations, leading the firm to up its dividend by nine per cent on last year to 3.8p. On an adjusted basis, which excluded the [...]
Shock record wage growth amplifies risk of 14th straight Bank of England interest rate rise July 11, 2023 Workers’ pay is rising faster than expected and at among the quickest paces on record in a sign that the Bank of England will deliver a 14th straight interest rate rise next month, official figures out this morning reveal. Pay excluding bonuses rose 7.3 per cent over the three months to May on an annual [...]
Zoom revamps business model to recover from post-pandemic slump July 11, 2023 Zoom is determined to bounce back from a post-pandemic slump by revamping its business and product offerings, a top boss at the firm has said. “People have got used to a different lifestyle,” necessitating a fresh approach from Zoom, Frederik Maris, head of EMEA at Zoom, told Morning Wire Beyond video meetings, Zoom is now [...]
Gatwick’s £2.2bn second runway would boost important long-haul flying, says airport chief July 10, 2023 Gatwick’s £2.2bn expansion plans represent an “opportunity for us to encourage more long-haul flying,” its chief executive has said, as the West Sussex airport looks to muscle in on Heathrow’s dominance in the long-haul market. “Certainly this will be an opportunity for us to encourage more long haul flying to and from Gatwick and to [...]
BT successor has their work cut out, say analysts July 10, 2023 The successor of outgoing BT boss Philip Jansen faces a tough job ahead as the company battles poor earnings amid the pressure to rollout 5G, analysts have warned. It comes as BT confirmed today Jansen will step down “at an appropriate moment” within the next year. “Whoever takes the hot seat at BT will be [...]
Rolls-Royce says its SMR plans will help slash bills as it looks to secure funding July 10, 2023 Rolls-Royce has argued that its plans for developing small modular reactors (SMRs) in the UK could drastically reduce wholesale energy prices in the UK, as it looks to steal a march on its rivals and secure government funding for its nuclear ambitions.
Vodafone’s £11bn 5G rollout at risk if Three merger is blocked July 10, 2023 Vodafone’s UK boss has warned that the company’s £11bn investment in the UK’s 5G network is at risk if its merger with Three is blocked by the country’s competition regulator. Without the deal, Vodafone “won’t be able to invest as much and we won’t be able to deliver the 5G ambition that’s coming in the [...]
M&S looks to revamp Ocado Retail after chair warns there is ‘work to do’ July 10, 2023 M&S is looking to revamp its joint venture with Ocado as the high street stalwart grows frustrated with the firm’s poor performance, bringing the brands falling profits back to the forefront of investors’ minds. M&S chairman, Archie Norman, told investors at the firm’s AGM last week that there was “work to do” regarding the performance [...]
Bitcoin holding on above key level July 10, 2023 Bitcoin is trading around $30,100 this morning as investors continue to support the psychological $30k level.
House prices: Buyers playing ‘wait and see’ on purchases rattles confidence July 10, 2023 Property portal On The Market has warned of a challenging outlook for the year ahead as aggressive rate rises have led buyers to “wait and see” on house purchases whilst the market remains unsettled. The estate agent, which operates similar to Rightmove and Zoopla, told investors this morning that stubborn inflation and the high cost [...]