Regulator calls in Paypal’s $2.2bn iZettle merger on day it completes September 20, 2018 The UK's competition regulator has called in Paypal's $2.2bn (£1.7bn) acquisition of Swedish payments firm iZettle on the day it completes. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will investigate whether the merger would lessen competition between payment platforms in the UK, with the firms remaining separate until the CMA concludes its probe. Nevertheless, Paypal said the [...]
Big Four firm KPMG comes through bruising year with strong set of results December 5, 2018 Big Four audit firm KPMG has pushed past the fallout from the collapse of outsourcer Carillion to deliver strong revenue and profit growth. The UK arm of the firm boosted revenue eight per cent to £2.338bn and underlying profit 18 per cent to £356m in the year to 30 September. The strong growth comes despite [...]
CMA launches court action against ticket reselling site Viagogo August 31, 2018 The competition watchdog is taking ticket reselling site Viagogo to court after the company failed to make reforms to its business. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) began action against four secondary ticket sites last November, but Viagogo is the only one not to have offered formal commitments to overhaul its practices. Legal proceedings have now [...]
Jacques and the bean hoax: French firm fined over veg cartel September 27, 2019 A French and a Dutch company have been fined nearly €32m (£28m) for a 13-year cartel which pushed up the price of green beans, peas and canned vegetables. The European Commission said it was charging France’s Cecab €18m, while Coroos, a Dutch company, will have to pay €13.6m for taking part in the cartel. Read [...]
Sainsbury’s sees rising sales despite ‘uncertain’ outlook November 8, 2018 Sainsbury’s posted growth in underlying profit for its half-year results today, despite highlighting an 'uncertain' outlook ahead of the Christmas spending period. The figures Like-for-like sales climbed 0.6 per cent year on year during the six months, rising from the 0.2 per cent growth it reported for the first quarter of the year. That helped revenue hit £16.8bn, up [...]
Opportunities in an evolving financial industry December 12, 2019 In today’s investment landscape, a paradigm shift is underway. Economic headwinds, ever-changing financial regulations, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and financial technology are transforming the industry. What clients want is evolving, too. Returns alone are not enough. Clients today are looking for asset managers who can meet a comprehensive set of needs and deliver greater value [...]
UK M&A regime changes ‘too radical’, says former Office of Fair Trading boss John Fingleton October 16, 2018 The former head of the Office of Fair Trading (Oft) John Fingleton has slammed the government's "radical" merger and acquisitions (M&A) proposals. Fingleton, who was chief executive of the now closed government body between 2005 and 2012, said the revamp would create regulatory bureaucracy, put off foreign investment and be too influenced by politics. Read [...]
Regulator warns payday lenders over risky loans October 15, 2018 The Financial Conduct Authority has written to the bosses of payday lending firms, urging them to consider ‘affordability risk’ before making loans to financially vulnerable borrowers. In a ‘Dear CEO’ letter sent today, the FCA warned that lenders should “take prompt action” to ensure they maintain compliance with regulations that force them to assess customers’ [...]
DEBATE: Is there a case for Labour’s ‘free broadband’ proposals? November 18, 2019 Is there a case for Labour’s ‘free broadband’ proposals? Miranda Hall, a researcher at the New Economics Foundation and co-author of forthcoming report on digital infrastructure for Common Wealth, says YES. Without internet you can’t look for a job, receive childcare and housing benefits, or keep in touch with friends. But across the UK, digital [...]
Tickets purchased through Viagogo rendered invalid at festival September 1, 2018 Ticket reselling platform Viagogo has hit a further hurdle after a music festival banned tickets sold through the website. The latest blow comes the day after the Competition and Markets Authority launched legal action against the site after it failed to make required changes. Read more: The competition watchdog is taking Viagogo to court Tickets purchased [...]