Extreme frosts in late April could hike the price of French wine prices from regions including the Loire Valley, Burgundy and Champagne May 9, 2016 Severe frosts that hit French wine-making regions at the end of April have caused concerns that wine production could be affected and could force a price hike. Areas including the Loire valley and Champagne, which lends its name to the famous bubbly, were hit with the unseasonably cold weather, which reached its apex on 27 [...]
Singapore-listed Cosco Corporation’s profits tank in first quarter May 9, 2016 Singapore-listed Cosco Corporation posted a loss of $14.4m (£10m) in the first quarter of 2016. The figures The corporation, which is a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned Cosco shipping firm, reported a loss of $14.4m compared with a profit of $800,000 in the same period of last year. Group turnover fell 27 per cent to $722.3m, [...]
Boris Johnson just tried to sing Ode to Joy in German to argue his case for Brexit May 9, 2016 In any other politician's hands, delivering a speech to lay out the "liberal cosmopolitan" case for leaving the EU would have been a fairly run-of-the-mill press conference. But this is Boris Johnson we're talking about. Much to the bemusement of the Twitter masses, the former mayor's free time has clearly been taken up with learning [...]
Brexit: London employers are most likely across the UK to vote to remain in the UK May 9, 2016 More than two-thirds of London's employers are likely to vote to stay in the EU, according to new research from online employment platform Reed. In a survey of 1,700 employers across the UK, 71 per cent of those based in London said they would vote remain when the referendum polls open on 23 June, while [...]
Canary Wharf boss says London could be overtaken by EU cities within years if Brexit happens May 6, 2016 Canary Wharf property boss Sir George Iacobescu has said London would be overtaken by other key European cities within five years if Britain leaves the European Union. "There is nothing you have here in London that is not replicable," Iacobescu said at the City Property Association's EU referendum debate last night. "Whether it is Frankfurt [...]
News Corp posts third quarter revenue fall as profits were hit by one-off charge and continuing lower advertising sales May 5, 2016 Global media behemoth News Corp posted a revenue fall in its third quarter results on Thursday, as profits were hit by a one-off charge and low print advertising sales continued to decline. The figures The owner of The Sun, The Times and the Wall Street Journal said its revenues had declined 7.3 per cent to $1.89bn (£1.3bn) in [...]
Polls have now closed in the London mayor elections, Sadiq Khan thought to be in the lead over Zac Goldsmith May 5, 2016 Polls have now closed in the London mayoral, London assembly and regional elections throughout the UK. Poll stations across the capital closed at 10pm after opening for voting at 7am this morning. Thousands of voters in Barnet were turned away from polling stations earlier due to incomplete lists, which has led to speculation that the [...]
Pubs Code withdrawn after two drafting errors discovered, industry bodies met with Anna Soubry this morning May 5, 2016 The government's Pubs Code has been withdrawn after two drafting errors were discovered in the legislation's text. The code, which was due to come into force on 26 May, will govern the relationship between large pub-owning businesses and tied tenants in England and Wales. The tie is a 400-year old system requiring the tied tenants to [...]
EU Tobacco Products Directive chokes off the UK’s e-cigarette and vaping market May 5, 2016 The European Court of Justice (ECJ) yesterday ruled in favour of legislation that will significantly choke off the UK’s burgeoning, multi-million pound e-cigarette market. From 20 May, the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive will restrict e-cigarette advertising in print, on television and radio, as well as clamp down on the strength of nicotine liquids and flavours [...]