Press Digest: British Business - April 19

BELLUS Health

19/04/2023 24:50

April 19 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories
on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not
verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.   
 
    
    The Times
    - Ping An, the biggest shareholder in HSBC  HSBA.L , has
accused the bank's bosses of exaggerating the risks posed by a
break-up as the Chinese insurer detailed its plan to separate
the lender's Asian business for the first time.
    
    - GSK  GSK.L  has agreed to acquire Canadian biopharma
company Bellus Health Inc  BLU.TO  for 1.6 billion pounds($1.99
billion) as it seeks to bolster its pipeline of late-stage drugs
after the separation of its consumer healthcare business last
year.
    
    The Guardian
    - UK energy secretary, Grant Shapps, has urged British
energy market regulator Ofgem to turn words "into action" to
ensure new industry rules designed to protect vulnerable people
from being forced on to prepayment meters are properly enforced.
    
    - Chat apps WhatsApp and Signal have joined forces in a rare
show of unity to protest against the online safety bill, which
they say could undermine the UK's privacy and safety.    
        
    The Telegraph
    - U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc  COIN.O  is
considering a move to the UK as CEO Brian Armstrong says
America's failure to bring in a regulatory framework for
cryptocurrencies is hitting the industry and could push Coinbase
to relocate.    
    
    Sky News
    - Scottish National Party treasurer Colin Beattie has been
released without charge after his arrest earlier on Tuesday
after he was detained by the police investigating the party's
funding and finances.

($1 = 0.8048 pounds)

 (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)
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