Hot Off The Wires - 21st January 2021

News

• Joe Biden hailed the resilience of US democracy and appealed for unity in a polarised nation as he was sworn in as the 46th president.

• Chancellor Rishi Sunak is weighing up another extension of the government’s furlough scheme as part of plans to support the UK’s Covid-hit jobs market.

• The Covid-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer is likely to be effective against a rapidly spreading strain of the virus that was first discovered in the UK.

• Pressure is mounting on ministers to bail out Eurostar as an influential parliamentary committee warns Britain “cannot afford to lose” the Channel Tunnel operator to the pandemic.

• Netflix will no longer raise debt to fund its spending spree on television shows and films and may begin returning money to shareholders through buybacks.

Results

• Entain (ENT) - Q4 Update. As announced separately, Jette Nygaard-Andersen is appointed CEO with immediate effect, whilst Rob Wood, CFO, will also become deputy CEO.

• Tate & Lyle (TATE) - CFO Appointment.

• Close Brothers Group (CBG) - Trading Update.

• AJ Bell (AJB) - Q1 Trading Update.

• Hipgnosis Songs Fund (SONG) - Launch of issue. Separately, Hipgnosis has acquired 100% of Bob Rock's producer rights for Metallica's 'Metallica' and Michael Bublé's 'Call Me Irresponsible', 'Crazy Love', 'Christmas' and 'To Be Loved', which in total comprise 43 songs.

• IG Group (IGG) - Interim Results. Separately, IG Group is acquiring tastytrade, Inc., a high growth US online brokerage and trading education platform with a leading position in US listed derivatives, primarily options and futures, and over 105,000 active accounts for a total consideration of $1bn.

• Sumo Group (SUMO) - Pre-Close Update.

Trivia

In 2015, Otto an English Bulldog from Peru, broke a Guinness World Record. What was the record he broke?

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