By Rowena Edwards LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices fell on Wednesday, retreating from seven-year highs hit the previous day as it became clear that the first wave of U.S. and European sanctions on Russia were unlikely to disrupt oil supplies. Brent crude was down 59 cents, or 0.6%, to $96.25 a barrel at 1027 GMT, after…
By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) -London’s Heathrow airport, Britain’s busiest, saw its lowest number of passengers since 1972 last year and suffered wider losses as the coronavirus pandemic slashed demand for business travel and holidays. Passenger numbers fell to 19.4 million in 2021. Heathrow also recorded a pretax loss of 1.79 billion pounds ($2.43 billion)…
LONDON (Reuters) – JPMorgan’s emerging market strategists said on Wednesday that new U.S. sanctions on Russian sovereign debt announced this week were likely to have limited implications for the international investors that already hold them. They added that the new measures, which introduce restrictions on ‘secondary market’ trading of rouble and non-rouble-denominated debt issued after…
(Reuters) – British broker Peel Hunt said on Wednesday it expected full-year earnings to miss analyst views, hurt by deal delays in its investment banking unit and a slowdown in its trading division, sending its shares more than 13% lower in early trade. The company, which made its market debut in September last year, said…
By Nick Carey LONDON (Reuters) -Aston Martin narrowed its annual loss in 2021 as sales surged and the company said on Wednesday it expected further improvements this year as it launches new, more profitable models and plans to raise prices across its model line-up. The British luxury carmaker said it expected to see sales rise…
(Reuters) – Metro Bank reported on Wednesday a smaller loss and higher margins for 2021, as the British high-street lender’s turnaround actions bear fruit and the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact. The London-based bank, who in 2010 became the first lender to be granted a high-street banking licence in Britain in 150 years,…
(Reuters) – Upmarket fashion retailer Ted Baker reported higher fourth-quarter sales on Wednesday as demand for office and party wear remained strong even in the face of Britain’s pandemic-related curbs during the reporting period. The group’s sales, including online and in-store sales, jumped 35% in the 12 weeks ended Jan. 29, a period in which…
PARIS (Reuters) – Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio has bought an equity stake in French champagne house Telmont, its majority owner, Remy Cointreau, said on Wednesday, as luxury brands strike partnership deals with celebrities to broaden their appeal. “From protecting biodiversity on its land, to using 100% renewable electricity, Champagne Telmont is determined to radically lower…
By Twinnie Siu and Donny Kwok HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong will offer tax breaks, handouts and subsidies to small businesses and residents, to mitigate the impact of the most stringent social restrictions imposed in the city to curb the spread of COVID-19, Finance Secretary Paul Chan said. The 2022/23 budget proposals were announced…
(Reuters) – Wells Fargo & Co said on Tuesday U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Labor, are reviewing certain transactions in the bank’s 401(k) plan. The fourth-largest U.S. bank said in a filing that federal government agencies “are reviewing certain transactions associated with the employee stock ownership plan feature of the company’s 401(k) plan,…
