The 2018 insolvency led to years of agonising by accountancy firms, with as yet no explanations or ways to avoid a repeatBankruptcies happen gradually, then suddenly, an Ernest Hemingway character famously deadpans in The Sun Also Rises. Yet the afterm…
Markets think Omicron plan B will delay rise in UK interest rates
Fears of economic slowdown mean Bank of England less likely to intervene to dampen inflationCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNew restrictions to limit the spread of the Omicron variant will delay an interest rate increase fro…
Patisserie Valerie auditors fined £2.3m over ‘serious lack of competence’
FRC says Grant Thornton ‘missed red flags’ and failed to question information from managementThe auditor of Patisserie Valerie has been fined £2.3m and accused of a “serious lack of competence” over its role in the accounting scandal that led to the co…
Second hedge fund pushes for change in leadership of GSK
Bluebell Capital takes stake in pharma giant and puts pressure on Emma WalmsleyGSK’s chief executive, Emma Walmsley, has come under pressure from a second activist hedge fund, Bluebell Capital Partners, which has taken a stake in the drugmaker to push …
Embattled property firm Evergrande rattles financial markets
Investors worried about Chinese developer draw parallels with 2008 collapse of Lehman BrothersChina’s embattled property developer Evergrande Group has caused concern among investors worldwide. With $300bn (£220bn) owed to its creditors and key debt in…
Britain’s public sector is paying the price for the government’s consultancy habit | Rosie Collington and Mariana Mazzucato
The pandemic has shown relying on these private companies to deliver core services simply doesn’t workWhen he was leader of the opposition, David Cameron did not mince his criticism of the Labour government’s dependency on consultancy companies. Speaki…
Bidders’ enthusiasm for Morrisons unlikely to be dampened by results
US rivals remain keen, but with profits under pressure, some wonder if the supermarket is really worth a £7bn offerMorrisons’ rollercoaster ride continues this week as the Bradford-based supermarket updates the market, and its suitors, on how business …
Lib Dems propose ban on new listings of fossil fuel companies on LSE
Exclusive: proposal part of party’s plan to give City of London a lead role in helping UK tackle climate crisisNew listings of fossil fuel companies would be immediately banned on the London Stock Exchange as part of a proposal by the Liberal Democrats…
Disinfection robots and thermal body cameras: welcome to the Covid-free office
A workplace in Bucharest filled with anti-virus innovations could become the new normal in office design, its creators hopeExplainer: what are UK workers’ rights when asked to return?Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNot so lo…
Extinction Rebellion targets City of London over climate role
Protests starting next week aim to highlight the billions poured into fossil fuels by financial sectorThe City of London will be the target of a new round of Extinction Rebellion protests aimed at highlighting the role of high finance in the climate cr…