Press Digest: British Business - Jan 4

Shawbrook

04/01/2018 01:29

Jan 4 (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 
     
    - Carillion Plc  CLLN.L  has come under investigation by the 
Financial Conduct Authority over a string of statements 
apparently suggesting that all was well which ended last summer 
with a 1 billion pounds ($1.35 billion) profit warning. http://bit.ly/2lQPIUP 
     
    - The trading boom in cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin has 
prompted Plus500 Ltd  PLUSP.L  to upgrade its forecasts for 
profits and revenues as the company said that it had experienced 
strong trading volumes throughout last year in contracts for 
spreads in cryptocurrencies. http://bit.ly/2lShOxV 
     
     
    The Guardian 
     
    - Trade unions have issued a warning about the possible 
impact on workers' rights if Britain leaves Europe's single 
market and instead seeks to join a flagship Pacific trading 
group after Brexit. http://bit.ly/2lQ04nT 
     
    - The Institute for Fiscal Studies, one of the UK's leading 
think-tanks said the proportion of the workforce covered by the 
minimum wage was likely to triple to 12 percent between 2015 and 
2020 - drawing in groups vulnerable to automation such as 
receptionists and shop checkout operators. http://bit.ly/2lTp3pF 
         
    The Telegraph 
     
    - Oliver Meakin, the boss of electronics retailer Maplin, 
will be giving up microchips in favour of steak and chips when 
he joins the owner of restaurant chain Gaucho later this month. 
http://bit.ly/2CRnUqJ 
     
    - Co-operative Group Ltd  42TE.L  doubled its sales growth 
over the festive period after profiting from the collapse of 
wholesaler Palmer & Harvey which left many of its corner shop 
rivals with empty shelves in the run-up to Christmas. http://bit.ly/2EPhbOv 
    
     Sky News 
     
    - McDonald Corp's  MCD.N  workers in the UK will get a pay 
rise Jan 22, three months after employees at two McDonald's 
restaurants walked out over pay and conditions, in the 
first-ever strike to hit the fast food giant in Britain. http://bit.ly/2qlTfz0 
     
    - The state-backed Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc  RBS.L  
has struck a deal to sell the offshore operations of its Lombard 
leasing unit to Investec Plc  INVP.L  and Shawbrook Bank Ltd 
 IPO-SHAW.L . http://bit.ly/2CAtVLp 
     
     
    The Independent 
     
    - Poundland's European owner has secured a 180 million pound 
loan from a U.S. hedge fund to reduce dependence on its troubled 
South African parent Steinhoff International Holdings NV 
 SNHJ.J  and reassure spooked suppliers. https://ind.pn/2lRgYld 
       
     
 
($1 = 0.7403 pounds) 
 
 (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom) 
 ((globalnewsmonitoring@thomsonreuters.com)) 
 
Keywords: BRITAIN PRESS/BUSINESS