PwC announces separation of Russian firm in first Big Four exit March 6, 2022 Pricewaterhousecoopers (PwC) will no longer have a member firm in Russia, with the multinational due to announce its decision tomorrow to separate its Russian company from the rest of its global network in the wake of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The move by the Big Four giant will affect 3,700 partners and staff in Russia, [...]
Russia unlikely to meet debt obligations as Western sanctions bite, Moody’s warns March 6, 2022 One of the world’s top credit rating agencies has raised concerns over Russia’s ability to service its debt as Western sanctions hobble Moscow’s economy. Moody’s said its move to downgrade Russian debt to the second-lowest rung on its ratings ladder was “driven by severe concerns around Russia’s willingness and ability to pay its debt obligations”. [...]
Week ahead: Fears over Russia-Ukraine escalation to loom over City March 6, 2022 An intensification in the Russia-Ukraine war will drive investors’ moves this week in the City. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index had a torrid time last week, losing nearly seven per cent of its value, its worst week since March 2020 when the UK was plunged into lockdown. Traders were spooked by the potential economic [...]
Polluting London drivers to be hit with daily fee of £12.50 as Sadiq Khan plans to expand Ultra Low Emission Zone to entire city March 6, 2022 London Mayor Sadiq Khan said today that he plans to expand the capital’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) to cover the entire city in a push to cut pollution and congestion. Mr Khan has asked Transport for London (TfL) to consult on extending the scheme’s boundary from the North and South Circular Roads to the [...]
Rich Brit kids: Number of UK millennial millionaires doubles as crypto, startups and meme stocks power fortunes March 6, 2022 The number of UK millennial and Generation Z millionaires has hit a record high, doubling to 2,000 in the most recent year from 1,000 the previous year, according to new researched shared exclusively with Morning Wire this morning. The data also shows a 28 per cent increase in millennial and Gen Z taxpayers declaring income [...]
Amazon makes major U-turn by shutting all book stores and physical shops in UK March 6, 2022 E-commerce giant Amazon has said it is planning to shut all of its book stores as well as its other brick-and-mortar shops and pop-up stores in the UK and US. The shock announcement to close down all 68 book stores, as well as shops that offer toys and home goods in Britain and the US, [...]
Saturday Sitdown: Credit Suisse’s global investment boss on the dawn of a new world order March 5, 2022 The Russian invasion of Ukraine has accentuated geo-political risks, further fueling volatility on financial markets and unsettling investors. These developments mark a clear shift to a new world order, Michael Strobaek, Credit Suisse’s global chief investment officer, told Morning Wire in an exclusive interview. “This new world order will make risk management as well as investing [...]
Shares nosedive across Europe as burning Ukrainian nuclear plant terrifies traders: FTSE lowest since October March 4, 2022 All major markets across Europe are reacting this morning with horror to the fire at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant amid shelling by Russia in the area. Although the situation is reportedly under control, stock indexes were down across the continent, with London’s top index, the FTSE 100, dropping to its lowest point since October [...]
What impact will Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have on oil and gas? March 4, 2022 | City Talk Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is first and foremost a human tragedy. As investors though, our role is to interpret the market implications on behalf of our clients. Here, we consider the impact of the invasion on oil and gas markets. Firstly, it’s important to understand how markets stood before the invasion. Global energy markets were [...]
Construction sector back in boom mode as price increases slow March 4, 2022 After months of heavy price increases, the rapid cost hikes in the construction sector showed further signs of easing off in February, according to fresh data published this morning. Builders reported they were still facing problems in supply chains, and that prices for materials and other inputs rose in February. But the reported rise was [...]