Finance: TikTok yea or nay? May 13, 2021 ICAS Lecturer, Nisha Sreedharan CA, discusses the recent trend of financial advice being given on social media channels in our latest blog post and whether people are being made aware of the risks. During lockdown many of us have used social media as a means of combating boredom, loneliness or connecting virtually with the world [...]
Angel CoFund rebrands as it launches new £30m ‘fast-track’ fund January 26, 2021 Angel CoFund has rebranded to ACF Investors as it launches a new £30m fund for early-stage UK businesses as angel activity drops off. The VC firm, which is in its tenth year, makes equity investments of between £100,000 and £1m in the UK’s smaller businesses and invests alongside angel investors. Speaking to City A.M., managing [...]
EU Brexit chief Maros Sefcovic says Northern Ireland issues to be fixed by 24 February February 16, 2021 European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic has told Irish lawmakers today that he wants Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit issues solved next week. Sefcovic, who is in charge of UK-EU relations for Brussels, said he wanted the border problems solved by the end of his meeting with Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove on 24 February. He also [...]
China tech crackdown: From Jack Ma’s disappearance to online tutoring debacle August 5, 2021 Chinese technology giants once seemed untouchable, with billions of profits through aggressive expansion. But that status is now more uncertain after a year of Beijing’s sweeping regulatory crackdowns that have spread like wildfire across sectors. The saga started last October when Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, who founded e-commerce behemoth Alibaba, criticised China for lacking a [...]
Exclusive: Banks failing to prioritise the climate will lose customers, survey shows December 22, 2020 Customers are expecting more from their banks when it comes to climate change and could lose out to more green competitors if they fail to prioritise the environment. Some 71 per cent of UK banking customers are more likely to choose a bank with a positive social and environmental impact, according to new research from [...]
Boohoo enjoys strong growth but admits Brexit will drive up costs January 14, 2021 Brexit is likely to drive up prices at Boohoo, with additional costs largely relating to distribution and administration to blame. In a market update this morning the online retailer said it had implemented a system that was designed to minimise the impact of Brexit on its European customers, and it would try to mitigate extra costs [...]
All eyes are on the Bank of England today February 4, 2021 Calm has been restored to equity markets as the violent swings that were witnessed due to the Reddit-retail investor mania have waned. Volatility in Gamestop – the stock at the centre of the saga – has cool greatly and that has in turn brought the temperature down in the markets. “Trader’s attention drifted back to [...]
EU orders more Pfizer vaccine doses as Sweden joins countries halting Astrazeneca jab March 16, 2021 The EU has ordered more doses of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine to plug a shortfall that has arisen from a swathe of countries banning the Astrazeneca jab over safety concerns. European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen announced on Twitter that the EU had agreed an “accelerated delivery of 10m doses” of the Pfizer vaccine to [...]
Boohoo exits 64 Leicester factories over code of conduct breaches following supplier scandal December 16, 2020 Boohoo terminated relationships with more than 60 Leicester suppliers following an investigation into working conditions at garment factories in the city. The fast fashion firm has exited 64 factories following a scandal that found some clothing suppliers in the city were paying workers less than minimum wage. Boohoo’s director of responsible sourcing and product operations [...]
UK court blocks Julian Assange US extradition on espionage charges January 4, 2021 Wikileaks founder Julian Assange cannot be extradited to the US to face espionage charges, a UK court has ruled. Assange faces 17 charges of espionage and computer fraud in the US and could be sentenced to as many as 175 years behind bars. In a landmark decision at the Old Bailey this morning, district judge [...]