The number of women on the boards of top UK-listed companies has risen by 50% in five years but “significant progress” still needs to be made in leadership roles, a review has found. Progress made since 2015 also means there are now no all-male boards in the FTSE 350, though there are 16 so-called “one
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Rates of pay growth are running at their highest level since 2008, according to official figures which also show the first rise in payrolled employment since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported average weekly earnings up by 4.7% on an annual basis during the three months to December.
Retailers could be allowed to open their businesses again as early as 12 April, the government has announced. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the news to the House of Commons, saying that the reopening of retail would be part of the second step out of England’s lockdown. Progress on the next steps out of lockdown
Qatar Airways has told some pilots made redundant during the coronavirus crisis that they should apply to re-join the airline as it plans to increase services. It’s a rare sign of positivity in an industry hard hit by the pandemic which, despite the successful rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in countries like the UK, faces severe
Saga, the over-50s travel and insurance specialist, is in talks about a £170m debt package as it seeks to chart a course through the remainder of the coronavirus pandemic. Sky News has learnt that the company, which rebuffed a takeover approach last year, has kicked off talks with a group of debt funds about refinancing
The pound passed US$1.40 on Friday for the first time in nearly three years. Just after 1.30pm, the pound was up 0.4% on the day but earlier it hit $1.4024 – its highest since 20 April, 2018. The UK’s rapid COVID-19 vaccination programme has sparked hopes that there might be a sharp economic recovery after
Tech giant Google has fired the head of its artificial intelligence (AI) ethics programme, claiming she had broken the rules on moving files outside of the company. Margaret Mitchell tweeted the she had been let go by the firm on Friday, with the move coming a month after she had publicly vented about the way
A specialist finance provider advised by David Cameron, the former prime minister, is in talks with the giant American investment firm Apollo Global Management about a multibillion dollar deal. Sky News has learnt that Apollo is among a number of parties in discussions with Greensill Capital, a London-based firm set up by Lex Greensill a
The boss of LloydsPharmacy is facing questions from a prominent MP about its treatment of employees as its American owner plots a £400m sale of the chain. Sky News has seen a letter from Robert Halfon, a member of the Conservatives’ 1922 Committee, to Toby Anderson, chief executive of McKesson UK, querying prospective changes to
Uber has lost its battle in the Supreme Court over drivers’ rights – a decision that could have far-reaching implications for millions of people in the gig economy. Judges concluded that Uber drivers should be classed as workers and not independent third-party contractors – a ruling that means that drivers will be entitled to basic
The chief executive of Robinhood has dismissed suggestions the zero-commission trading platform tried to stop its own users profiting at the expense of hedge funds during the GameStop saga. Vladimir Tenev was among prominent figures involved in the share trading frenzy last month to give evidence to a House of Representatives’ committee investigating any wrongdoing
Barclays has reported a 30% drop in pre-tax profits as its provision for bad loans due to the pandemic hit £4.8bn. However, the drop to £3.1bn in 2020 was much less than forecast as a strong performance by its investment bank offset cash set aside to cope with losses caused by the economic fallout of
Jaguar Land Rover has announced plans to cut 2,000 non-factory jobs, just days after it committed to its UK plants and revealed a huge investment in a zero emission future. The company said it had begun to inform colleagues on the findings of an organisational review, which is designed to slash costs and create a
Ford has announced its entire passenger range in Europe will be all-electric by the end of the decade. The motor giant also said its commercial models will be 100% zero-emissions capable, all-electric or plug-in hybrid, by 2024. The move comes after Ford reported a return to profit in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Bitcoin has crossed the $50,000 (£36,000) barrier for the first time on the back of surging demand for the so-called crypto king among mainstream investors. The cryptocurrency, which has endured wild swings in its value during a chequered 12-year history, struck a record high above $50,100 on Tuesday, according to the CEX.IO exchange. The milestone
Chancellor Rishi Sunak should ensure next month’s budget secures the economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis to date rather than try to start fixing the public finances, according to a report. Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and Citi Research warns of a hit to lower-income households ahead, in particular, if the furlough