Hot Off The Wires - 21st December 2020

News

• Retail bosses are begging Rishi Sunak to extend a business rates holiday as fears grow that a new Covid crackdown could put thousands of jobs at risk.

• Drugmakers will be offered fast-tracked approvals for innovative medicines in the UK as ministers seek to attract life sciences companies to invest post-Brexit.

• Confidence among business owners hit a nine-month high after progress was made on a coronavirus vaccine, although the latest pandemic restrictions are certain to hit sentiment.

• Airlines like Virgin Atlantic and British Airways should face “strong action” from regulators for refusing to issue refunds to customers complying with England’s new tier 4 Covid restrictions, consumer advocates have said.

• Apple’s supply chain in Asia has been hit by worker unrest after staff at the iPhone maker’s contractors in India and China protested over unpaid wages and bonuses.

Results

• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) - ViiV first long-acting HIV regimen approved in EU

• NatWest Group (NWG) - Acquisition of Mortgage Portfolio from Metro Bank

• Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) - Shell fourth quarter 2020 update note

• Primary Health Properties (PHP) - Acquisition and Forward Funding Acquisition

• Frasers Group (FRAS) - Withdrawal of Guidance

• PRS REIT (PRSR) - Acquisition of Fully-let Development of New Homes

Trivia

Which American president was in power during the ‘Black Thursday’ Wall Street crash?

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