Startups clash with watchdog over digital merger regulation March 3, 2020 British startups have been plunged into a bitter war of words with the competition watchdog as the two sides clash over how major tech mergers should be regulated. Industry body the Coalition for a Digital Economy (Coadec) has penned a scathing letter to chancellor Rishi Sunak warning that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) risked [...]
US officials to hold last-ditch talks with UK over Huawei ban January 12, 2020 US officials are gearing up for a final attempt to persuade the government to block Huawei from building the UK’s 5G network. Representatives from the US National Economic Council and National Security Agency are set to hold meetings in London tomorrow ahead of a final verdict on whether the embattled Chinese tech firm will face [...]
Market shock: how did investors react to the impact of Covid-19? August 17, 2020 Coronavirus brought a decade-long US bull market to an end and sparked a sudden stock market collapse. A surprising proportion of investors responded by taking on more risk. Faced by of one of the biggest economic shocks in history it is little surprise that the vast majority of investors reacted by changing their portfolios. What [...]
What are “accidental savers” doing with their surprise savings? July 14, 2020 Lockdown restrictions have curbed spending, resulting in higher savings in the UK. Some of this has found its way into the financial markets; actively managed responsible investment funds have been the biggest beneficiaries. The words “accidental” and “saver” don’t often appear in the same sentence together. Saving usually takes some effort and requires sacrifices and [...]
With Crossrail at a standstill, what other London transport projects have been put on hold? April 24, 2019 Last year was a particularly trying year for transport. The botched May timetable change caused widespread disruption across the country, prompting infuriated passengers to lodge 1m claims against train operator Govia Thameslink alone. While the headline that sticks in the memory is the delayed opening of the £17.6bn Elizabeth Line, there are a number of projects [...]
Coronavirus: the investment impact in seven charts February 28, 2020 The spread of coronavirus, COVID-19, beyond China has created fresh uncertainty for the global growth outlook and sparked volatility in financial markets. Outbreaks in South Korea, Iran and Italy have raised concerns that the spread outside of China may be accelerating. We offer key facts on the spread of the virus, interspersed with views from [...]
Sadiq Khan blasts government for ‘forcing London to pay twice’ for Crossrail delay December 11, 2018 Transport for London (TfL) has admitted its fare income will be £2.1bn lower than expected as it battles a "perfect storm" of pressures on its finances. In its business plan for 2019-20 to 2023-24, TfL said a “subdued” economy and a £700m reduction in central government funding for challenges facing the organisation. It said fare revenue [...]
People’s Vote campaigners are playing dirty with the facts January 10, 2019 As Monday's Channel 4 drama Brexit: The Uncivil War reminded us, the Remain campaign likes to take comfort in the fact that it tried to win us over with facts and figures, never stooping to the kind of outright lies about the economic benefits of leaving the EU or the threats of immigration indulged in by members [...]
The impact of coronavirus on dividends April 2, 2020 As UK banks temporarily suspend all dividend payments, we discuss the effect coronavirus could have on a vital source of income for investors. What’s happening to dividends? The coronavirus crisis and oil price war are having a profound impact on economic growth and the cash position of companies. Many businesses in the most affected sectors [...]
The Digital Currency Crossroads: CBDCs across borders, and the UK approach September 10, 2020 Growing interest in Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) has widely been viewed as a response by central banks to the emergence of private stablecoins, most notably Facebook’s Libra, announced in June 2019. Regulators and intergovernmental organisations, such as the Financial Action Task Force, have been working to understand the risks and potential of stablecoins, and [...]