FTSE 100 hits fresh four-month high on US-China trade talk optimism and European banking boost February 15, 2019 The FTSE 100 ended a good week in strong fashion as optimism over the US-China trade dispute and the possibility of fresh stimulus measures for Eurozone banks boosted markets. The UK’s blue chip index rose to a fresh four-month high and closed 0.6 per cent up for the day at 7,237 points. European markets also rose as [...]
Rishi Sunak extends furlough scheme until end of March November 5, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the furlough scheme until the end of March, following days of wrangling over fresh financial support for businesses during the second national lockdown. The furlough scheme, which was due to wind down last Saturday, will be rolled out for the next five months — a year after it was first [...]
British Business Bank issues 75,000th startup loan August 25, 2020 The British Business Bank has issued its 75,000th loan under its Start Up Loans programme, marking more than £623m invested in small business across the UK since its launch in 2012. The number of loans for small firms has risen sharply since the start of the pandemic. Between May and July a total of £31.9m [...]
Rishi Sunak faces pressure to extend furlough scheme August 7, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak is facing mounting pressure to extend the furlough scheme in some form, amid fears of a wave of unemployment later in the year. Opposition political parties and business groups are increasingly worried that plans to wind down the furlough scheme in October are premature. The Bank of England yesterday said 2.5m people [...]
Labour’s John McDonnell reveals plans to turn post offices into branches of nationalised bank March 31, 2019 Labour would transform post offices into branches of a new, nationalised bank, shadow chancellor John McDonnell has announced today. Labour said the policy would halt the decline of the high street and face-to-face banking by bringing footfall back into town centres. According to consumer watchdog Which, the UK has lost nearly two-thirds of its bank and [...]
Finance understands the vital role it plays in recovery August 7, 2020 Stephen Pegge is Managing Director of Commercial Finance at UK Finance From the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, the banking and finance industry has understood the critical role it plays in helping steer businesses through the sudden business interruption and uncertain outlook. The lockdown was vital to halt the spread of the virus. But it’s [...]
Coronavirus: Two more cases confirmed in Scotland as UK total hits 53 March 4, 2020 Two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Scotland, the country’s health secretary Jeane Freeman has said, bringing the UK’s total number of cases to 53. Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Freeman said the total number of cases in Scotland was now three. She added that she could not confirm whether [...]
RBS raises dividend on booming profits, but warns on cost of Brexit February 15, 2019 Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) boosted its dividend today on the back of doubling profits, but warned that Brexit could hit the bank’s recovery. The bank said it would return £1.6bn to shareholders, including almost £1bn to the government, which holds a 62 per cent stake in RBS following its financial crisis bailout. Chairman Howard [...]
Private bank Arbuthnot Latham boosts profits and remains optimistic on Brexit March 28, 2019 UK private and commercial bank Arbuthnot Latham increased profits by a third last year and remained optimistic that Brexit could deliver a “bright future” for the economy. The bank reported pre-tax profits of £14.6m in 2018, a 33 per cent rise on the previous year as it grew its customer loan book by 17 per [...]
UK rail fares set to increase by 1.6 per cent in January despite pandemic August 19, 2020 UK rail fares are set to increase by 1.6 per cent in January, adding more than £100 to many annual season tickets to London, after an unexpected rise in a controversial measure of inflation. Official figures published today showed that retail price index (PRI) inflation rose by 1.6 per cent in July year on year. [...]