Why China’s electric vehicle market is at full throttle April 9, 2021 We get under the bonnet and look at what’s driving growth in China’s electric vehicle market After a dip in sales in 2019 and the impact of the pandemic in early 2020, the market for electric vehicles (EVs) in China is recovering strongly. Among the factors driving this acceleration in sales is the combination of [...]
PwC partner profits jump to £765,000 despite criticism for poor quality of audit work September 16, 2019 Partner profits at PwC UK increased 7.4 per cent to £765,000 this year, despite the firm receiving a dressing down from the regulator for the decline in the quality of its audit work. Profit for the year to 30 June increased to £1.016bn, up from £935m the previous year. Revenue leapt 12 per cent to [...]
Spac-tacular: The City welcomes overhaul of stock market listings March 3, 2021 The US phenomenon of Spac listings could soon make its way to the City after a government-backed report called for widespread reform in the stock market. Lord Jonathan Hill’s report into London’s listing requirements called for regulators to allow blank-cheque vehicles to list in the capital as well as to ease other listing restrictions. It [...]
Chasing Tesla: how traditional carmakers are revving up their electric vehicle production August 16, 2021 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 [...]
Ryanair will ask for IAG divestments in €1bn Air Europa deal November 4, 2019 Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary is ready to ask competition regulators to intervene in British Airways owner IAG’s purchase of Air Europa, he said today. IAG is primed to buy the Spanish airline for €1bn (£860m) but O’Leary said he will ask the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to force the firm to make divestments to [...]
China cracks down on tech giants with anti-monopoly laws November 11, 2020 China has outlined proposals for tough new regulations on tech giants, ramping up the pressure on powerful ecommerce sites and payment platforms such as Alibaba. The country’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said the rules were designed to curb monopoly power and block companies from carrying out anti-competitive practices. The new laws are likely [...]
Law firms are at risk of falling behind in the race for innovation April 23, 2021 “Move fast and break things” is one of the better known corporate mantras. The company which coined it – Facebook – has achieved incredible growth in living by it. It is not the only way for businesses and industries to grow. The legal services industry, worth $650bn globally, continues to grow at 4 to 6 [...]
The government is cautious about crypto – but I think we’ll get there April 21, 2021 Lord Holmes of Richmond reflects on hundreds of hours of debate over the Financial Services Bill passed in the House of Lords.
CMA warns train passengers face higher prices if Abellio takes on East Midlands franchise July 19, 2019 The UK’s competition watchdog raised concerns today about higher ticket fares on two routes it is probing as part of an investigation into Abellio’s acquisition of the East Midlands franchise. Abellio’s ownership of Greater Anglia means it would operate a monopoly on the Norwich to Ely and Thetford to Ely routes as it would then [...]
Watchdog slams rule-breaking influencers over ‘unacceptable’ social media ads March 18, 2021 The UK advertising watchdog has ramped up the pressure on social media influencers over their continued failure to mark posts as adverts. Under the current rules online stars are required to clearly state when their posts are sponsored or when a brand has provided them with free products. But a three-week monitoring exercise carried out [...]