UK unemployment rate shrinks faster than expected to 4.7 per cent August 17, 2021 The UK jobless rate shrank faster than expected over the last quarter as employers hired workers rapidly to cope with soaring demand triggered by the lifting of Covid restrictions, according to official figures published today. Latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows the unemployment rate dipped 0.2 per cent over the last quarter [...]
Hong Kong IPOs run dry amid concerns over China’s regulatory scrutiny August 16, 2021 The global financial hub has seen only one initial public offering so far this month, as Hong Kong’s investors are spooked by China’s tightening scrutiny across sectors. International investors have long used Hong Kong as gateway to China, but they are increasingly concerned by Beijing’s policies, ranging from technology and education to food and health [...]
Wall Street ends hot streak and opens lower amid China growth slowdown August 16, 2021 Wall Street fell from last week’s record highs at Monday’s open amid concerns about the impact of the crisis in Afghanistan and after China missed expectations on a range of data, signalling that its economy was slowing down. The S&P 500 slid down 0.4 per cent from Friday’s all-time high of the year, while the [...]
Facebook and Google eye Asia-Pacific markets amid plans for new subsea cable August 16, 2021 Facebook and Google announced today their plans to build a new subsea cable to improve internet connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region. Apricot, the 12,000-kilometre-long subsea cable, will connect Singapore, Japan, Guam, the Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia. It is expected to be ready for service in 2024, according to Facebook. The US social media group continued [...]
FTSE: Ultra and Future soar but it’s not enough to lift London’s main index August 16, 2021 The FTSE 100 started off the week with a fall, as a rout on energy and mining shares could not be undone by a surge in the shares of Ultra Electronics and publishing house Future. The blue-chip FTSE 100 dropped 0.8 per cent, dragged down by miners Glencore, Anglo American and Rio Tinto and oil majors BP and Royal Dutch [...]
Meggitt presses ahead and publishes documents for Parker-Hannifin £6.3bn takeover bid August 16, 2021 British defence technology firm Meggitt has published its scheme documents for a recommended £6.3bn takeover by Parker, just five days after it received a proposal for a potentially higher bid from US rival Transdigm. Meggitt said its takeover panel will announce a deadline by which TransDigm must clarify its intentions in relation to its offer, [...]
Chasing Tesla: how traditional carmakers are revving up their electric vehicle production August 16, 2021 | City Talk Equities generally had a strong year in 2020, but few parts of the market could match the runaway share price gains of the pure electric vehicle (EV) makers. Tapping into investor (and day trader) demand for two popular themes – tech and sustainability – such companies became extremely highly sought after. US group Tesla is [...]
Morrisons suitor CD&R gears up to beat Fortress bid August 16, 2021 New York bidder Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) is gearing up to place its counter-bid to the leading £10bn Fortress offer for Wm Morrison supermarkets before its deadline next Friday. CD&R planted the seed for the ongoing private equity bidding war for the British supermarket in June, when it placed a 230p per share offer [...]
ICAS comments on the development of international financial reporting guidance for NPOs August 16, 2021 | City Talk ICAS’ Charities Panel has responded to part 1 of a major consultation on the development of international financial reporting guidance for not-for profit organisations (NPOs). ICAS broadly welcomes plans to base international financial reporting guidance for NPOs on the IASB’s International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sized Entities (the IFRS for SMEs). Nevertheless, the ICAS [...]
Wall Street smashes records yet again August 13, 2021 Wall Street opened higher today to breach record highs once again driven by a string of strong earnings reports. The S&P 500 came out of the blocks quickly to hit an all-time high, but fell back slightly to rise 0.06 per cent to 4,463.75 points in the early afternoon session. Similarly, the Dow Jones sped [...]