Japan to sign historic defence pact with UK as PM Kishida woos London business leaders May 5, 2022 A new defence pact in the Pacific and post-Brexit trade are high on the agenda, as Japan’s prime minister meets his UK counterpart today. Fumio Kishida and Boris Johnson are set to sign off on an agreement which allows British and Japanese forces to deploy together, against the backdrop of war in Ukraine. The deal [...]
Iran seizes Greek oil tankers in escalation of Tehran’s spat with Western powers May 28, 2022 Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have seized two Greek oil tankers, after the Iranian government said it would take “punitive action” against Greece over its seizure of an Iranian oil cargo last month. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) said it had seized two Greek tankers sailing in international waters off the coast of Iran. The seizures [...]
Merck raises full-year forecasts after recent $5bn sales surge April 28, 2022 Merck’s sales have surged more than $5bn (£3.9bn) in the first few months of this year, carried by the popularity of its cancer drug and Covid-19 pill. The US pharmaceutical giant enjoyed a 50 per cent jump in sales to $15.9bn (£12.6bn), up from $10.6bn (£8.4bn) in the first quarter of last year. Merck, the [...]
Government unveils energy support package to ‘stop businesses collapsing’ September 21, 2022 Firms have been given a boost in dealing with the energy crisis through a government discount, with the chancellor saying it “stepped in to stop businesses collapsing”. Plans were unveiled this morning, cutting prices for non-domestic energy customers, while suppliers will reduce wholesale costs to help families. The measures, announced by the department for Department [...]
Airbnb anticipates ‘strong sustained pent up demand’ as results beat analyst expectations May 4, 2022 Airbnb has posted record quarterly results and beat estimates as holidaymakers are keen to get away after lockdown measures have eased. First quarter revenue shot up 70 per cent from the year prior, despite the company noting “macroeconomic headwinds,” war in Ukraine and the pandemic. Revenue hit $1.5bn and exceeded its pre-pandemic comparable by 80 [...]
Ceres flies flag for green hydrogen with increasing revenue in 2021 March 17, 2022 Ceres Power Holdings, which produces fuel cell and electrochemical technology, experienced a 44 per cent increase in revenue last year, in part thanks to a £179m fundraising campaign to support green energy. The firm benefited from handing out major contracts, registering a £250m in cash and investments, up from £110m in 2020. Its successful fundraiser [...]
Hospitality hit ‘from both sides’ of energy price crisis as number of insolvent firms shoots up September 18, 2022 There has been a huge spike in the number of company insolvencies in the past year by 72 per cent, as hospitality bears the brunt of soaring energy bills. New figures from the Insolvency Service show pubs, bars and restaurants have been the worst affected, being “from both sides” by the cost of living crisis. [...]
Cambo oilfield firm snapped up by Israel’s Delek Group in £1.2bn deal April 8, 2022 The firm behind the controversial Cambo North Sea oilfield has been snapped up Israel’s Delek Group in a move that raises the prospects of the project going ahead.
Economic downturn pummels UK factories August 1, 2022 UK factories are succumbing to a concoction of downside risks that have shifted the sector into “reverse gear,” a closely watched survey published today revealed. Activity in the British manufacturing sector last month plunged to a 25-month low of 52.1, down from 52.8 in June and slightly below analysts’ expectations, according to S&P Global’s purchasing [...]
London hedge fund trader hiding in Dubai told to pay staggering £1.1bn to Danish taxman September 16, 2022 A British hedge fund manager and financier was slapped with a tax bill of more than £1bn. The man, accused by Denmark of masterminding a massive tax fraud, has been ordered by a Dubai court to pay Copenhagen’s tax authority £1.1bn, court filings show. The order by the Dubai Court of Appeal against Sanjay Shah [...]