FTSE 100 rises on positivity over US-China trade deal December 27, 2019 The FTSE 100 rose for the eleventh straight session this morning, as traders were cheered by positive signs over a US-China trade deal. London’s main index, which is on its best run in three years, adding 0.4 per cent. Miners provided the biggest boost, as Glencore and BHP rose about two per cent each. Read [...]
EU may need to extend trade deal talks with UK, says von der Leyen December 27, 2019 The European Union may have to extend the deadline for talks over a new trading relationship with Britain, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Von der Leyen told French paper Les Echos that both sides need to think seriously about whether there is enough time to negotiate a new trade deal. Read [...]
Donald Trump impeachment trial: Republicans have not ruled out witnesses December 23, 2019 Mitch McConnell, the US Republican Senate majority leader, has said his party has not ruled out hearing witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. However, he added that he would not agree to the Democrats’ request that the Senate agree ahead of time to take testimony during the trial. Read more: Space Force: [...]
Boeing fires chief executive Dennis Muilenburg over 737 Max crisis December 23, 2019 Boeing has fired its chief executive Dennis Muilenburg, nine months after the second of two deadly crashes involving his planes that killed a total of 346 people. Muilenburg, a Boeing employee of more than three decades, has been under intense pressure since a 737 Max went down in Ethiopia in March, killing everyone on board. [...]
Regulator ramps up Lloyd’s of London whistleblowing monitoring December 23, 2019 The Bank of England has ramped up its monitoring of Lloyd’s on London’s whistleblowing processes, it said today. The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) announced the insurance market had agreed to extra checks. Read more: FCA head Andrew Bailey confirmed as next Bank of England governor In February, Lloyd’s told the PRA its only anonymous whistleblowing [...]
Disney’s latest Star Wars film disappoints at box office over opening weekend December 23, 2019 The latest instalment in the Star Wars film saga was a relative disappointment for opening weekend ticket sales compared to other films in the franchise. The Rise of Skywalker took $374m (£288m) in global sales over its first weekend. Read more: Can The Rise of Skywalker reawaken Disney’s Force? US sales down nearly 30 per [...]
Hong Kong protests to continue throughout Christmas week December 23, 2019 Hong Kong is facing a Christmas week of protests, with demonstrators planning to gather across the city over the coming days. Protesters plan to gather in five malls on Christmas eve, and will count down to Christmas near the city’s harbour front in the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district. Read more: Clashes as police [...]
Five people sentenced to death for Jamal Khashoggi killing December 23, 2019 Saudi Arabia has sentenced five people to death over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in October 2018. The kingdom’s public prosecutor also handed out three people jail terms totalling 24 years over the killing of the journalist. Read more: China to cut tariffs on hundreds of products Khashoggi was a US [...]
Four London infrastructure projects that unravelled in 2019 December 23, 2019 Boris Johnson “loves infrastructure”. At least, that’s what the Prime Minister said when he was asked about the High Speed Two rail project on the campaign trail earlier this month. And it is just as well. Because some of London’s biggest infrastructure problems are creaking at the seams. If the PM were not so keen on [...]
Yacht the hell? More 100-metre superyachts being built than ever before December 17, 2019 The number of 100-metre-plus superyachts currently being built is at its highest in history, with 21 of the mammoth vessels under construction. According to research by Boat International, the total number of superyachts being built – meaning boats over 24 metres long – is 807, with 21 in excess of 100m. Read more: Smooth sailing [...]