Exclusive: End of furlough could be the ‘final ingredient in a catalyst for disaster’ September 30, 2021 The end of furlough payments could be the final ingredient in a catalyst for disaster for businesses, according to restructuring and insolvency lawyers City A.M. spoke to this morning. With the winding up of the job retention scheme today, they warned that the 1,348 registered company insolvencies in August could rocket in the months ahead. [...]
Supreme Court rejects insurers’ claims in landmark business insurance case January 15, 2021 The Supreme Court has largely ruled in favour of policyholders and the City regulator in the landmark business interruption insurance case. In a judgment handed down today, the court said it “substantially allowed” the appeal by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and campaign groups Hiscox Action Group and Hospitality Insurance Group Action. The insurers Arch, [...]
Funding Circle revises up earnings expectations May 19, 2021 Funding platform Funding Circle has revised up its earnings estimates after its involvement with the Covid support scheme gave a boost to the business. In a market update today, the group said it now expects its H1 2021 total income to be no lower than £120m and AEBITDA to be no lower than £40m [...]
Watches of Switzerland clocks £905m revenue as customers ‘disposable wealth’ swells July 8, 2021 Luxury watch group Watches of Switzerland posted a £905.1m revenue this morning, as the pandemic allowed the disposable income of its wealthy customers to swell. Total revenue grew 13.3 per cent in the 53 weeks to 2 May. Revenue in the UK alone lifted 3.6 per cent to £606.5m, making the UK the watchmakers key [...]
City of London Corporation chief says 19 July will ‘restore vibrancy’ in capital July 13, 2021 The City of London’s local authority welcomed the government’s announcement that “Freedom Day” will go ahead next week, helping the capital to bounce back from the pandemic. Catherine McGuinness, the City of London Corporation’s policy chair, said: “This is a light at the end of the tunnel for the many City businesses desperate to return [...]
South East Water pays £2.3m in dividends as losses widen December 7, 2023 South East Water has revealed it paid out £2.3m in dividends to investors despite growing losses and a £3m bill.
Questions pile up for Gupta after ‘deeply discourteous’ inquiry snub July 14, 2021 MPs on the parliamentary business committee have written to steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta criticising his “deeply discourteous” decision not to appear before an enquiry into embattled Liberty Steel. They also questioned the “unusual extent to which you personally control the finances of Liberty Steeland its associated companies”. Gupta is the chief executive and chairman of [...]
Direct Line premiums stabilise as insurance market climbs back November 10, 2020 Direct Line today posted flat trading for the third quarter as shopping habits began to recover after a decline sparked by the coronavirus outbreak. The insurance group said its total written premiums slipped a marginal 0.8 per cent to £851.5m in the three months to the end of September. The performance was primarily driven by [...]
Government set to write off estimated £31bn of pandemic loans January 29, 2021 An estimate of £31bn of government loans handed out during the pandemic will have to be written off, according to the UK’s spending watchdog. In its latest Covid-19 Cost Tracker, the National Audit Office (NAO) forecast that the total cost of the pandemic for Britain will balloon to £271bn, of which £116bn has been spent [...]
Cleverly: ‘No interruption to the supply of food to the shelves’ from new Brexit checks January 31, 2024 There will be “no interruption to the supply of food to the shelves” due to new Brexit checks coming into force, a government minister has insisted.