Comcast has confirmed it is attempting to beat Disney to win control of 21st Century Fox’s TV and film businesses. The US cable giant said it was in the advanced stages of preparing a formal offer for the assets that Fox had agreed to sell to Disney. It said …
Read More »Jobs at risk as Homebase heads for new owner
The future of Homebase, Britain’s second-biggest DIY chain, will be decided within days as its Australian owner nears the end of its cataclysmic foray into the UK retail sector, casting fresh doubt over thousands of jobs. Sky News has learnt that advisers to Wesfarmers, the Sydney-listed company, received final …
Read More »Same old message from M&S – but room for optimism?
Another set of results from Marks & Spencer (M&S), almost inevitably, brings with it talk of ‘transformation’ or stepping up the ‘pace of change’ in the business. Luc Vandevelde, the former executive chairman, spoke at the half-year results in September 2000 about the need to “step up the pace …
Read More »Uber to offer drivers 'free' pay protections
Uber says it is to provide a range of protections for its drivers and couriers as it tries to demonstrate it is a responsible member of the so-called gig economy. The ride-hailing app, which is battling to secure its operating licences in London, York and Brighton amid safety concerns, …
Read More »M&S profits plunge 62% on store closure costs
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has revealed steep falls in annual sales and profits, hours after accelerating its store closure programme. The chain reported pre-tax profit in the year to 31 March came in 62% down on the previous year at £66.8m. While its bottom line was hit by £321.1m …
Read More »Boys paid more than girls for helping at home
It is not just in the workplace that women suffer from the gender pay gap – girls also lose out when it comes to being rewarded for helping around the home. A survey of 500 people by Santander found that a third of parents pay children for doing household …
Read More »M&S closure plans trigger £300m charge
Marks & Spencer is braced for a financial hit of up to £300m from an expanded store closure programme that reflects brutal trading conditions on the British high street. Sky News has learnt that the retailer will announce as part of its annual results on Wednesday a huge charge …
Read More »500 jobs at risk as supermarket closes Tesco Direct
Tesco is to close Tesco Direct, its non-food website. Tesco Direct sells a range of general merchandise, including technology, homeware, clothing and toys for delivery or collection. The supermarket giant has determined “there is no route to profitability for this small, loss-making part of the business”, according to a …
Read More »Brexit has cost UK households £900 – Bank governor
Mark Carney has claimed the Brexit vote has left households £900 worse off, describing the sum as “a lot of money.” The governor of the Bank of England made his remarks while giving evidence of a committee of MPs, stating his belief that the effects of the EU referendum …
Read More »ICG clinches £1.2bn Iris software buyout
A London-listed investment firm is on the brink of winning a £1.2bn race to participate in Britain’s biggest-ever software takeover deal. Sky News understands that Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) is likely to strike a joint agreement to buy Iris, which supplies software to GP surgeries across the UK, in …
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