Law firms face ‘bloodbath’ in upcoming coronavirus recession April 23, 2020 Advisers who worked on some of the largest UK law firm collapses predict a “bloodbath” for the legal industry as a result of the coronavirus economic crisis. Andy Hosking of Quantuma, who acted as administrator to King & Wood Mallesons Europe (KWM) and Ince & Co, said: “You are going to see a bloodbath in [...]
UK borrowing higher than expected before coronavirus lockdown April 23, 2020 The UK went over its borrowing target for the most recent financial year, it revealed today, but coronavirus spending is set to dwarf its budget deficit. Borrowing between April 2019 and March 2020 rose to £48.7bn, compared to forecasts of £47.4bn, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). But a swathe of public spending [...]
Credit Suisse posts surge in profit but warns on coronavirus loss April 23, 2020 Credit Suisse today posted a sharp rise in profit for the first quarter but warned of potential loan losses caused by the coronavirus crisis. The bank reported a 13 per cent rise in pre-tax profit of 1.2bn Swiss francs (£1bn) in the first three months of the year, while net profit surged 75 per cent [...]
The City View podcast from Morning Wire, with Dr Alan Mendoza April 23, 2020 The City View Podcast – Listen Now Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS In this episode Christian talks to foreign-policy specialist Dr Alan Mendoza about China’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, amid suggestions that Chinese authorities should be held to account for the global damage caused by the outbreak. [...]
UK banks slammed by Tory backbencher for not acting in national interest April 22, 2020 The UK’s banking sector has been criticised for not working in the national interest as some banks move to rapidly raise overdraft interest fees. Tory backbencher Peter Bone slammed the nation’s banks at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) for hiking interest rates on overdrafts while many struggle during the coronavirus crisis. Some banks have increased [...]
Coronavirus: Moss Bros shares dive as bidder looks for exit April 22, 2020 Shares in Moss Bros plunged more than 20 per cent today after the menswear firm said Brigadier Acquisition Company was seeking to pull out of a £22m deal to take it private due to coronavirus. The suit retailer said this morning that it had been informed by Brigadier, which owns Crew Clothing, that it is [...]
Exclusive: UK tech startup confidence slumps amid Covid-19 crisis April 22, 2020 Confidence levels among tech startups have slumped since the start of the year as the coronavirus crisis takes its toll on the UK’s thriving tech sector. Just 32 per cent of businesses are confident or very confident that their turnover will increase in the year ahead, Morning Wire can reveal. This marks a quarterly drop [...]
Coronavirus: Banks team up with mobile industry to tackle text scams April 22, 2020 The UK’s banking and mobile industries have partnered with spy chiefs to crack down on text message scams linked to the Covid-19 crisis. The new campaign is aimed at tackling so-called spoofing techniques, where cyber criminals mimic legitimate businesses or organisations to trick unsuspecting victims into handing over sensitive information. Many scammers have attempted to [...]
Law and accountancy firm coronavirus partner promotions: a poisoned chalice? April 22, 2020 Law and accountancy firms have promoted swathes of new partners in recent days with many firms hailing the strong rounds as a signal of confidence in the future. But with new partners typically required to stump up £50,000 to £100,000 to join partnerships, it is a potentially risky step up for the individual during the [...]
UK coronavirus outbreak has reached peak, says health secretary Matt Hancock April 22, 2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed today that that the UK coronavirus outbreak has reached its peak. Speaking in the House of Commons today, Hancock confirmed that the pandemic had hit its peak in the UK and that new cases were starting to drop. “As we reach – have reached the peak – and as we [...]