Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionWhat are fixed-odds betting terminals? Theresa May is facing the possibility of having to make a U-turn over fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs). More than 70 MPs have called on the government to cut the largest wager on FOBTs from £100 to £2 in April, as originally …
Image copyright PA House of Fraser (HoF) is closing four more stores, all based in major shopping centres. The department store chain, bought out of administration in August by Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct, will shut its Lakeside, Metrocentre, Norwich and Nottingham outlets in the New Year. Mr Ashley said the landlord, Intu Properties, had been …
Image copyright Addison Lee/ Twitter A claim that Addison Lee’s drivers are employees, not self-employed contractors, has been upheld in a major blow to the taxi company. The Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling confirms that drivers should be paid the minimum wage and holiday pay. The judgement could affect thousands of Addison Lee drivers and follows …
Image copyright PA Image caption Perth-based SSE has revealed it has been hit by widened losses for its household gas and electricity supplier Energy firm SSE has admitted there is “some uncertainty” that its merger with rival Npower will go ahead. The announcement comes after the companies delayed the tie-up due to the incoming energy …
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Prices of food fell during October The UK inflation rate remained steady at 2.4% in October, confounding analyst expectations of a rise to 2.5%. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) figure included falls in food and clothing costs, but rising utility bills and petrol prices, said the ONS. The inflation …
Image copyright Reuters Germany’s economy contracted in the third quarter of the year, dented by weaker exports, figures have shown. Europe’s largest economy shrank by 0.2% between July and September, as global trade disputes had a knock-on effect for Europe’s largest economy. It was the economy’s first quarter-on-quarter fall since 2015. Compared with the same …
Image copyright AFP/Getty Image caption The diamond’s new owners have rechristened it the Winston Pink Legacy A rare pink diamond has fetched 50.3m Swiss francs ($50m; £38.5m) at auction, a record price per carat. Pink Legacy, weighing in at just under 19 carats, was bought by US brand Harry Winston at auction in Geneva. The …
Image copyright EPA Image caption Italy’s co-Deputy Prime Ministers Luigi Di Maio (left) and Matteo Salvini made defiant comments The Italian government has defied the European Commission (EC) by sticking to its big-spending budget plan. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said a deficit target of 2.4% and a growth forecast of 1.5% were unchanged. The …
Image copyright Getty Images International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde said central banks around the world should consider issuing digital currency. Speaking in Singapore, Ms Lagarde said this could make digital currency transactions safer. Non-cash payments have increased over the years, raising challenges for governments and central banks. Regulators have voiced concerns with digital currencies …
Image copyright Sainsbury’s Image caption The latest Sainsbury’s Christmas ad features children performing in a school production Spending by retailers on Christmas advertising in 2018 is set to hit a new high of £6.4bn, an industry body said. According to the Advertising Association, spending on Christmas ads has risen nearly 50% in eight years. It …