FTSE 100 pushes higher as Europe prepares to relax coronavirus lockdowns April 27, 2020 The FTSE 100 moved higher today as traders reacted to positive signs that European countries were preparing to ease coronavirus lockdown measures. The UK blue-chip index posted a rise of 1.4 per cent , or 81 points, to 5,833 by around 11.30am. The FTSE 100’s upbeat start to the day was more than matched by [...]
Coronavirus: Government must be more imaginative to save small businesses April 27, 2020 The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILs) was launched to much fanfare, with people lining up to praise the far-sighted, generous nature of the programme and proclaim how much it would do for small business. A staggering £330 billion was set aside for interest-free loans, with the Government willing to sit behind 80 per cent [...]
Boris Johnson: Lifting UK lockdown too early would spell ‘economic disaster’ April 27, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson today warned the UK could face an “economic disaster” if the lockdown ends too early, urging businesses to be patient as he returned to Downing Street. The Prime Minister said the UK was “beginning to turn the tide” on coronavirus. But he cautioned against lifting the coronavirus lockdown restrictions too early, [...]
Ashtead warns on profit as coronavirus hits equipment hire demand April 27, 2020 Equipment rental firm Ashtead Group has warned on profit for the full year due to a slump in demand caused by the coronavirus lockdown. The London-based company today said it expected pre-tax profit of roughly £1.05bn for the year to the end of April, down from £1.11bn last year. The revised figures come as Ashtead [...]
Coronavirus: Adidas forecasts 40 per cent drop in sales in second quarter April 27, 2020 Sportswear giant Adidas expects sales to plummet 40 per cent in the second quarter due to the impact of coronavirus lockdowns around the world. The German brand reported a 19 per cent decline in sales in the first quarter, but this morning said it forecast lower sales over the second quarter of the year. Coronavirus [...]
Italy to ease lockdown measures as coronavirus infections drop April 27, 2020 Italy has signalled an easing of lockdown measures put in place seven weeks ago to battle a sudden lethal spike in coronavirus cases. Italy will begin to relax lockdown measures from 4 May, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said. People will be able to visit relatives in small numbers and building sites, factories and parks will [...]
Airbus ‘bleeding cash at an unprecedented speed’ due to coronavirus April 27, 2020 Planemaking giant Airbus has written to its 135,000 staff warning them to expect deeper job cuts, with the firm “bleeding cash at an unprecedented speed”. In a letter to employees, chief executive Guillaume Faury said that the aerospace behemoth’s survival was at stake, saying that the recent drop in production of a third was not [...]
Boris Johnson returns to work under pressure to ease UK coronavirus lockdown April 27, 2020 Boris Johnson faces a flurry of meetings about the UK coronavirus lockdown upon his return to Downing Street today after his own severe battle with the infection. The Prime Minister returns to work today after three weeks of fighting off a coronavirus infection that could have killed him. After confirming his positive diagnosis on Twitter [...]
Coronavirus: The City’s third sector has shone amid pandemic April 27, 2020 The coronavirus outbreak is an unfolding global health emergency that requires us all to play our part. We are seeing people from all walks of society across London and the UK coming together to tackle COVID-19 – be it through fundraising activities, volunteering in the community, or by simply checking in on a lonely neighbour [...]
The City View podcast, from Morning Wire, with Dan Korski April 27, 2020 In this episode, Christian talks to Dan Korski, who served as a senior adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Since leaving government, Dan has focused on backing startups and he’s now the CEO and co-founder of Public – supporting tech firms in [...]