Notifications to EU Commission about unlawful tax breaks rocket in state aid crackdown May 30, 2019 The number of notifications to the EU Commission about potentially unlawful tax breaks has rocketed as countries take a tougher stance on state aid. In the last five years the Commission was notified about 385 potentially unlawful tax breaks, compared to just 80 between 2007 and 2013. Over the 12 months to 31 March the [...]
Apple, Google and Whatsapp slam GCHQ over ‘ghost’ eavesdropping plans May 30, 2019 Major tech giants including Apple, Google and Whatsapp have launched a searing criticism of government plans to spy on encrypted messages, warning of “serious threats” to cybersecurity and human rights. In an open letter published today almost 50 companies, civil society groups and policy experts urged GCHQ to drop proposals that would see law enforcement [...]
Microsoft to open first UK store in London, one minute away from Apple’s Oxford Circus store May 30, 2019 Microsoft has announced it will open a UK flagship store in London this summer. The tech giant’s first physical UK store will open in Regent Street on 11 July, just a one minute walk away from Apple’s London flagship branch. Read more: Stockwatch: When you should buy Amazon and Microsoft The branch near Oxford Circus [...]
Should you really sell in May and go away – What is the truth of the old stock market saying? May 30, 2019 There are many phrases used to try to capture trends or patterns that supposedly appear in the movement of share prices over the years. For example, the concept of a “Santa Rally” suggests that stock prices increase in the run up to Christmas. Yet one of the oldest such phrases is “sell in May and [...]
Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei says China should not retaliate over US trade ban May 27, 2019 Huawei’s founder has slammed US President Donald Trump over new trade restrictions on his firm, but insisted China should not retaliate against the measures. Ren Zhengfei admitted new laws effectively banning US companies from doing business with Huawei would hamper the firm’s growth, but said Beijing was unlikely to retaliate against American rival Apple. Read [...]
US stocks fall as trade war shows little sign of abating May 22, 2019 US stock markets have fallen shortly after opening as global companies are sucked in to the Trump administration’s trade assault on China. Read more: US-China trade tensions a major threat to global growth, says OECD The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite had fallen 0.5 per cent shortly after 4pm UK time, with Chinese internet technology company Baidu among [...]
Apple vows to be more open about iPhone performance after consumer law concerns May 22, 2019 Apple has pledged to be more transparent about the battery health and performance of its iPhones, the competition watchdog said today. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the US tech firm has vowed to be “clearer and more upfront” with iPhone users following concerns it might be breaching consumer law. Read more: Former Apple [...]
The future looks bright for university graduates May 21, 2019 This month, university students across the country are being tested on their chosen field of study. As if the exam season weren’t stressful enough, final-year students also have to deal with acute cases of so-called employability anxiety. This generation is already described as the “most anxious in history”, so adding extra stress makes for a [...]
Former Apple retail head Angela Ahrendts appointed to Airbnb’s board May 16, 2019 Airbnb has beefed up its board of directors with the appointment of Angela Ahrendts, former head of retail at Apple. Ahrendts, who is also a former chief executive of luxury fashion house Burberry, will become an independent board member alongside ex-American Express boss Ken Chenault and former Pixar finance chief Ann Mather. She resigned from Apple [...]
Foxconn posts fall in first-quarter revenues as demand for smartphones falters May 14, 2019 Apple supplier Foxconn has posted a sharp fall in profits and revenues for the first quarter amid declining demand for smartphones. Read more: Huawei to build 400-person chip plant near Cambridge The Taiwanese firm, which is the world’s largest contract manufacturer, reported revenues of T$1.05tn (£26bn) for the three months to the end of March, [...]