Swedish payments app Trustly plots IPO amid flurry of tech listings January 22, 2021 Swedish payments firm Trustly is reportedly planning a public listing this year worth up to 9bn, amid a flurry of tech IPOs. Trustly’s private equity backer Nordic Capital is working with Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Carnegie on the IPO which is due in the second quarter, according to Reuters. Nordic Capital bought a 70 [...]
John Lewis repays government loan after strong festive period January 22, 2021 John Lewis has announced it will pay back its £300m government loan almost two months early after a better-than-expected festive period. The John Lewis Partnership announced it would pay back £300m of the government’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility which was due to be repaid in March of this year. Under the CCFF, the Bank of [...]
Cash for Covid: No decision made on £500 payment for positive tests January 22, 2021 The government is yet to reach a decision on a reported £500 payment for anyone forced to self-isolate, according to a government minister. Environment minister George Eustice said on Friday that the government had not made a decision on plans to hand out payments to everyone who tests positive for the virus. The Department of [...]
UK retail sales stage tentative recovery over Christmas January 22, 2021 Retail sales made a tentative recovery over the Christmas period as the UK emerged from its second national lockdown. Retail sales volumes rose 0.3 per cent in December following a 4.1 per cent fall in November as the country moved into the more relaxed tier restrictions. It is 2.7 per cent higher than February’s pre-lockdown [...]
Transferwise picks banks ahead of blockbuster IPO January 21, 2021 Transferwise has reportedly picked two of Wall Street’s biggest banks to lead its London listing this year. The payments unicorn has hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as joint global coordinators for its IPO later this year, Sky News reported. Transferwise secured a $5bn valuation following a secondary share sale last summer, cementing its place [...]
FCA mulls price cap on claims management company fees January 21, 2021 Consumers could save nearly £10m a year in claims management company (CMCs) fees as the regulator considers a price cap on the fees they charge for financial products. The Financial Conduct Authority took over the regulation of CMCs, which handle PPI and payday loans, from the Ministry of Justice in April 2019. The watchdog has [...]
Countryside Properties makes progress with separation of housebuilding division January 21, 2021 Countryside Properties is making progress with the separation of its two divisions after a strong performance in the first quarter. The FTSE 250 firm said trading in the three months to 31 December was in line with expectations and is 80 per cent forward sold for the year. Total completions are up 17 per cent [...]
Monzo founder steps down saying pandemic took its toll January 21, 2021 Monzo founder-turned-president Tom Blomfield is stepping down from the digital bank, saying the pandemic has taken a toll on his mental health. In an interview with Techcrunch Blomfield said he had stopped enjoying his role a long time ago as Monzo moved from startup to scaleup. “I stopped enjoying my role probably about two years [...]
IG Group set to buy US broker Tastytrade in $1bn deal January 21, 2021 IG Group is set to buy US online trader Tastytrade in a $1bn cash and shares deal as it continues to dip its toes in the US market. It marks the London-listed firm’s biggest ever acquisition with Tastytrade shareholders set to receive $300m in cash and 61m IG shares valued at $700m. The acquisition will [...]
Card payments help Paypoint offset its drop in revenue January 21, 2021 An increase in card payment transactions has helped Paypoint weather the Covid storm as it targets more retail partners amid the pandemic. Underlying group net revenue fell nearly 11 per cent to £24.5m in the third quarter following the end of its contract with British Gas. Its revenue from UK retail services fell 1.4 per [...]