Reuters UK Business

By Andy Bruce LONDON (Reuters) – The surprise split vote behind the Bank of England’s interest rate hike last week, which was too small for almost half its officials, threatens to obscure the British central bank’s intentions and potentially hurt the economy. Some BoE watchers say emerging evidence of division among policymakers over how to …

Analysis-Bank of England split raises policy doubt at key moment for economy Read More »

By Emilio Parodi MILAN (Reuters) – Italian prosecutors are investigating two former finance chiefs of Booking.com in relation to allegations of unpaid taxes by the travel website company and have asked Dutch authorities to question them, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Italy’s tax police in June last year alleged that Booking.com …

Italy asks Dutch to question former Booking.com executives in tax probe Read More »

By Yadarisa Shabong (Reuters) -Summer holiday bookings at TUI were approaching pre-COVID levels on pent-up demand, the world’s largest holiday company said on Tuesday, with a steady recovery in Britain since restrictions and testing rules were lifted. TUI said underlying operating loss in the first quarter ending December was at 274 million euros ($313 million). …

TUI says pent-up demand for holidays to steer summer recovery Read More »

(Reuters) – Singer-songwriter Neil Young has asked employees of Spotify Technology SA to quit their jobs while urging people to withdraw their money from big American banks, in protests over coronavirus misinformation and climate change. Young, in a statement on his website, criticized the music streaming platform’s chief executive officer, Daniel Ek, saying he was …

Neil Young takes aim at Spotify CEO, big banks Read More »

PARIS (Reuters) -French care homes company Orpea faces a new criminal complaint, Franceinfo radio reported on Tuesday, saying that two nurses claim the company had used their names to set up fraudulent work contracts. Orpea, which is due to publish results later on Tuesday, told Reuters that “there is not and never has been any …

Orpea faces complaints over fraudulent work contracts – Franceinfo Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – Bank of America said its measure of confidence among British households in their personal financial situation fell to its lowest since the bank began its survey in 2017. A broader gauge of consumer confidence in Britain dropped to its lowest in 11 months as fast-rising inflation squeezed spending power, BofA said on …

Britons most downbeat about finances since at least 2017 – BofA Read More »

BERLIN (Reuters) -Lufthansa said on Tuesday it would respond to a decision by Germany’s cartel office that charter airline Condor was entitled to an antitrust claim against the flag carrier over access to feeder flights for its long-haul passengers. “We have received the Bundeskartellamt’s draft decision. We will reply to the Bundeskartellamt and make a …

Lufthansa says it will respond to German cartel office over Condor Read More »

PARIS (Reuters) -BNP Paribas’ pledge to raise profits and hike shareholder returns fell flat on Tuesday as investors homed in on a spike in costs at the French lender. Operating expenses rose by nearly 5% in the quarter, outpacing revenue growth. Rising costs have been a problem across the sector as banks have to pay …

BNP’s surging costs overshadow pledges on profits and payouts Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – A quarter of British employers have cited long COVID as a main cause of long-term sickness absences, a survey by a professional body found on Tuesday, adding that it raised questions over how workers with the condition were being supported in their jobs. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is leading a strategy …

Quarter of UK employers cite long COVID as driving absences – survey Read More »

PARIS (Reuters) -France posted a record trade deficit last year as imports surged on higher energy prices and Airbus exports fell, official data showed on Tuesday, casting a rare cloud over President Emmanuel Macron’s economic record. The trade deficit in goods hit 84.7 billion euros ($97 billion) in 2021, equivalent to 3.4% of economic output, …

Record French trade deficit in 2021 marks “blemish” on Macron’s economy Read More »