Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng wades into graphene maker takeover

Rising wholesale prices mean all energy companies are now struggling to make profits as their costs soar – but one customer successfully disputed a £215 increase in his monthly bill.

So far, 16 months have passed since Equity Income was suspended, yet the regulator has held no one to account. Not Woodford; not fund supervisor Link; and not Hargreaves Lansdown.

Pension experts warn that savers with defined benefit pensions could be left trapped in a plan that does not suit them, leaving them without the financial flexibility they crave in older age.

In the last few days, both the powerful Association of Investment Companies and investment house Edison Group have put their weight behind the campaign.

Huntsman Hawkes asked the Ascentric platform firm to put just over £132,000 into a corporate bond. Huntsman collapsed, and my replacement Sipp firm said they wanted nothing to do with the bond.

According to Janus Henderson, global dividends are expected to grow this year by nearly 11 per cent with Europe, the UK and Asia Pacific leading the way.

The best financial decision Aggie MacKenzie ever made was giving up her job at the Good Housekeeping Institute to present Channel 4 TV series How Clean Is Your House?

Inheritance has become a rich source of revenue for the Treasury so is unlikely to be touched – but bigger council tax bills look very much on the cards, maybe as much as five per cent more from next April.

Research for the Mail on Sunday shows the cost of hiring an SUV for a week in Britain has surged by 38% since April, reaching an eye-watering £381.

Which? has revealed the results of its annual survey, which pits mortgage lenders against one another in terms of their customer service and who offers the cheapest deals.

Ministers hope Her Majesty’s presence will help to seal a string of huge deals at the Global Investment Summit – and eclipse a similar event held by France.

In her first big interview, Alison Rose tells how carbon fight can boost banks and customers. Rose has put climate change at the heart of her strategy since she became chief executive of in 2019.

Such a deal would see the Middle Eastern state take ownership of a second, major London department store. Qatar acquired Knightsbridge-based Harrods in 2010 through its sovereign wealth fund.

The markets’ current optimism makes sense if they are are focusing on the long view. If they are right and this is a multi-year expansion, the numbers will look much better in a couple of years.

Moulding has been battered recently by a stream of criticism over how the business is run and its failure to disclose information that investors say is now vital to lifting the share price.

Existing shareholders should hold and take comfort in the dividend yield. New investors could also find the stock attractive at current levels.

The modus operandi is built around stock picking. The trust only holds 17 stocks with the emphasis being on finding companies that at some stage will be attractive to other investors.

One reason why experts see such opportunities is that Europe as a whole has underperformed over the past year. While profits are now improving, these number are not fully reflected in share prices.

Climate change activists may be causing havoc but a simple fact remains: the world depends on oil and gas. However, for investors who are in a more ecological frame of mind there are options.

Andrew Sentance, who was on the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee from 2006 to 2011, all but ruled out what he called a ‘Scrooge’ rate hike in December.

An office administrator in Royal Mail’s Llanelli depot was fired after sounding the alarm over posties being paid for overtime they had not worked, we understand.

The Istanbul office means the fast fashion retailer can source more garments made in Turkey, avoiding transport delays for goods made in China, Bangladesh and other Asian countries.

The firm declared a 0.65p per share payout after profits soared due to pent-up demand fuelling rises in car prices. Vertu claimed £400,000 this financial year and £28million last, which it has retained.

Amit Gudka set up battery storage firm Field after leaving Bulb. He is raising funds from major investors to build 300MW of battery capacity – enough electricity to power 500,000 homes.

It is understood the top investor – which is not activist Elliott Management – rates Banga’s consumer experience, notably his 23 years at Unilever. Banga is a partner at Clayton Dubilier & Rice.

When Bailey of Bristol stuck a caravan on the roof of London’s One New Change overlooking St Paul’s and invited us to stay there. We thought we’d better say ‘yes’

Tintra, which has undergone various reinventions since floating on the junior market as The Weather Lottery in 2006, saw its shares surge 54 per cent to 103.4p.

EXCLUSIVE: Using exclusive data provided by cap hpi, we reveal the 20 older cars that have risen in value most in six months, with used Toyota Auris hybrids and Vauxhall Zafiras up by almost 60%.

Consumers spent a fifth more on household energy and fuel in the last fortnight, new research has revealed.

Charles Randell (pictured), who took over at the watchdog in April 2018, will depart next spring and has asked Chancellor Rishi Sunak to begin the task of finding a replacement.

The pandemic boom in demand for share dealing has levelled off, with an average of 861,000 deals per month versus 980,000 in the quarter last year – although still ahead of the 479,000 the year before.

The US investment bank – known as the ‘Vampire Squid’ of the financial sector – yesterday reported a profit of £3.8bn in the three months to October, 66 per cent higher than last year.

Former software developer Daniel O’Neill, 56, (pictured) started selling pots and pans from their cottage in Cheltenham with his mother Peggy in 1996. Now, 25 years later, Pro Cook has 50 shops.

Pearson has teamed up with Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment to create a course called Academy of Pop that will teach customers how to become pop stars.

The fancy crop of advisors who brought THG to market, should havedone more to ensure founder chairman Matt Moulding (pictured with wife Jodie) was better informed on the ways of public companies.

The blue-chip index climbed 0.4 per cent, or 26.32 points, to 7234.03, its highest level since late February 2020 before panic over the virus sent markets tumbling across the world.

Many of the companies in our markets have big operations abroad or are foreign themselves. More than 60 per cent of the turnover of the FTSE 100 firms is earned overseas and is in another currency.

The Hydroflex, retro-fitted by rolling stock company Porterbrook, embodies the aspiration that hydrogen fuel cells can be harnessed to power trains, for which batteries are not a suitable driving force.

Average UK petrol prices are now just 2p off the record high seen in April 2012. Prices have risen by nearly 26p-a-litre in just 12 months, from 114.50p on this day last year – up 22%.

Rio Tinto has been forced to adjust its guidance for the year after a ‘difficult’ quarter, as Covid-19 restrictions continue to hamper the British mining giant.

Households are being advised to check if they are with the three suppliers whose default tariffs are exempt from the current price cap.

His time at the FCA has not been short of controversy, with the watchdog facing criticism from regulated firms, consumers and politicians for its handling of a number of scandals.

Some smaller energy firms CNG has ceased business with could see costs spiral and this will lead more household suppliers to collapse, according to industry insiders.

Skoda, which made the claims, warms that kerb damage can affect more than just the appearance of a car, such as wrecking a tyre and causing steering tracking problems.

Tesla’s Model Y has officially hit the UK market, with customers able to order the electric SUV from 8am this morning. Motorists can put down deposits on two different versions.

Have you noticed how South Korea – and its cars – have suddenly become very hip? We look at how it has transformed its cars’ image and some of the best new models.

On average, first cars cost just £3,004, rising 32 per cent to £3,957 for second cars, by 29 per cent to £5,091 for third cars, with four-fiths buying used cars rather than new.

Households are being advised to check they are covered should the worst happen and there is a power cut, leaving fridges and freezers off for hours at a time and spoiling the stocked up food.

Finance experts warn that if these trends continue in the face of rising inflation, it could lead to a sharp increase in mortgage and rent defaults.

More than half of investors say they would ditch a stock in the case of a climate change catastrophe like an oil spill or emissions scandal, or negative revelations about internal company culture.

The battle against inflation dominated late 20th Century economic history. As an economics journalist, I experienced the pain personally and covered the events which saw the threat vanquished.

Bank earnings are soaring in the US. Morgan Stanley reported a 38 per cent rise in the third quarter, Bank of America a 64 per cent jump, Citibank a 48 per cent leap and Wells Fargo a 60 per cent rise.

Recruiter Hays said it was seeing ‘clear signs of skill shortages’ as businesses struggle to fill vacancies, with the fees across all its regions up by double-digit percentages in the three months to September.

Morgan Stanley’s investment banking revenues were up 67 per cent from a year ago to £2bn, driven by ‘record advisory revenues’ as it helped clients on their mergers and acquisitions.

Chairman Dame Sharon White (pictured right), has staked her leadership on plans to diversify the brand away from retail into a wider range of financial service, furniture rental, horticulture and housing.

Suggestions for potential candidates include former Tesco boss Dave Lewis, who is serving as the Government’s supply chain tsar and Severn Trent boss Liv Garfield (pictured).

The defence company, which makes technology for fighter jets, said its profits for the six months to September were in line with expectations, and that it had raked in £700m of new orders.

The FTSE 250 group said bus passenger numbers in the UK were at 76 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, adding that it had seen ‘no impact’ from recent problems with fuel.

A new study says someone with a £1,000 holding would wait 213 years to win a £50 prize, so how long would those with larger amounts wait?

According to jobs website Indeed, as of 1 October, the proportion of job searches being made for seasonal roles was down 27% compared to the same time in 2019, and 33% below its 2018 level.

HSBC and Natwest are both set to increase mortgage interest rates, which have been hitting record lows of less than 1% for months, in a ‘sure sign’ that they think a base rate rise is coming.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies could cause the next financial crash, according to a top Bank of England official.

Last week the tech giant opened its first physical non-food store outside the United States, in Kent’s Bluewater shopping centre alongside struggling John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and House of Fraser.

The just-announced electric Moke feature a 33Kw motor and battery – the size of which hasn’t been revealed yet – slotted into it original’s lightweight construction, which tips the scales at just 800kg.

‘I’m not sure there will even be a state pension by the time I get to pension age. I hope there is, but I just don’t know’, one younger despondent survey respondent said.

The PLSA ‘retirement living standards’, published today, give savers a picture of how much money they will need to maintain their lifestyle.

More than half of in-market car buyers say they would avoid dealerships without effective hygiene protocol, such as social distancing guidelines, mask requirements and ample hand sanitiser stations.

Improving charging infrastructure, growing range of models and prospect of fuel shortages and higher petrol and diesel prices are the main driving forces behind an increased desire to switch.

Assets under management fell to $91.3billion in the three months to the end of September, with Ashmore’s investment funds having been impacted by volatile market conditions.

It collected 41 per cent higher fees in the three months to 30 September, with the firm reporting record income in 12 countries.

The chain has revealed it is on the lookout for new freehold developments in town centre locations or ‘edge-of-town’ hubs ‘suitable for property development.’

After pulling cash bribes for custom in the pandemic, there are now seven current accounts offering £100-plus for switching.

While the pace of property price inflation has eased, the cost of a home rose all over the country last month with hefty spikes seen in Northern Ireland, Wales and the West Midlands.

Travellers to Europe in the coming weeks could be surprised by bumper car hire costs, research suggests.

My son’s school says he may have ADHD and advised tests but I’ve been told the waiting list is long. Would insurance cover it?

A combination of lower mortgage rates, lockdown savings and a calmer market is attracting first-time buyers back to the property market in increasing numbers.

I sold an amplifier on eBay for collection only at £220. A UPS driver collected it with tracking details showing it was delivered but the buyer said it wasn’t and eBay refunded him. Can I get money back?

The retailer said the fact it sells a limited number of seasonal products, has ‘good’ stock levels and customers willing to substitute products would help cushion the blow from wider supply chain woes.

The FTSE 100 firm said it had seen ‘continued strength in customer demand’ over the summer months, with buyers reserving around 281 homes every week between July and October.

The owner of Louis Vuitton (where actress Emma Stone – pictured – is a brand ambassador) said the bounceback in luxury had continued into the autumn despite fears of a slowdown in China.

The Hut Group founder and executive chairman Matt Moulding (pictured) has seen the value of his 14.2 per cent stake fall by £701m in the last five weeks. Shares fell a further 2.9 per cent.

Neil Woodford’s fall from grace in 2019 led to the implosion of his flagship Equity Income fund, and heavy losses in both his Income Focus and Patient Capital Trust.

Some UK trade groups and businesses can’t help themselves. The willingness to trash Britain as it bounces back from the deepest recession since the 1930s is incredible.

KPMG ‘advanced an untruthful defence’ when it claimed it had no choice but to push Silentnight into insolvency and advise that it sold itself to private equity, the independent disciplinary tribunal said.

Deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe said a massive collapse in the price of cryptocurrencies is ‘a plausible scenario’ and that there was ‘a possibility of contagion’ across the global financial sector.

The IMF’s comments came just weeks before the UK hosts the United Nations Cop26 climate change conference, which Britain is touting as a landmark moment in the fight against global warming.

The Bank of England is now expected to raise interest rates from 0.1 per cent to 0.25 per cent in December and then to 0.5 per cent in March.

The launch of BMW’s new fastback all-electric i4 coupe has been overshadowed somewhat by that of the big new flagship iX SUV, which has garnered much of the recent attention.

US consumer prices climbed 5.4 per cent, compared to the same month last year, while a 0.4 per cent rise on August levels surpassed market expectations of a 0.3 per cent rise.

As the stock’s slide persisted today with another fall of 3 per cent, shareholders were nursing a 60 per cent loss a nrecent peak of 684p in early September.

‘I’m a classic news junkie. I kind of want them all and having to pick one or two is really difficult,’ says Dominic Young, who wants to solve the subscription problem with Axate.

With 5.6 million patients reportedly awaiting treatment under our national healthcare system, it’s no surprise private health providers have sensed an opportunity.

The Hut Group founder Matt Moulding and his wife Jodie (pictured together) saw £278m wiped off the value of their stake in the online retailer as the stock sank to a record low of 285p.

Bosses said business in Britain surged by 51 per cent in the three months to the end of September, compared with a year earlier following a hefty investment programme to draw in new customers.

With fraudsters now so sophisticated, it is inevitable some people will still fall victim and lose life-changing sums of money. But there are rules in place to ensure the vast majority get their money back.

The new contactless limit is being increased from £45 and customers will be able to make up to five transactions, worth up to £300, without being asked to enter their Pin.

Some so-called easy-access accounts – that boast of market-leading rates – in fact have strict rules around when customers can make withdrawals – and even deposits.

Whether it’s putting on a woolly jumper and turning the thermostat down or covering the windows with cling film, there are lots of ways to cut down on energy bills this winter.

For years, we urged readers to regularly switch energy supplier. It wasn’t the most glamorous money-saving tip, but sticking with one provider meant you were almost certainly overpaying.

The average UK family throws away nearly a quarter of their weekly shop. Our writer AMELIA MURRAY has tested a new scheme that aims to cut down on food waste and save you money.

I’ve talked to the DWP, Future Pension Centre and HMRC 14 times – but no-one can explain why my pension is just £157.90 per week: £20 less than the full amount.

Centrica told investors it had decided to postpone its 16 November capital markets event in order to ‘remain focused’ on supporting its customers and those of failed providers.

Online operators are facing heavy pressures, as the nasty profit warning from Asos this week shows all too clearly. Boohoo recently reported a similar tale of woe, with a sharp slump in profits.

The FTSE 250 group, which is the largest well owner in the US, found itself on the defensive after a Bloomberg report said several wells owned by the company were leaking methane.

The pharma giant’s consumer business, which owns brands including Aquafresh toothpaste and Otrivin nasal spray, is being spun out of GSK by chief executive Emma Walmsley (pictured).

As the former boss of Glaxo’s consumer healthcare division, Emma Walmsley (pictured) has never been in doubt that it is a crown jewel buried within the pharmaceuticals and vaccine champion.

The no-frills airline said it expects to have lost between £1.135bn and £1.175bn in the 12 months to the end of September – the second year in a row when losses topped £1bn.

Georgieva (pictured), who was appointed managing director of the IMF in 2019, allegedly manipulated data in her former role as boss of the World Bank to make China seem more appealing for business.

rime Minister Boris Johnson is preparing to sign off a bailout worth hundreds of millions of pounds for major industries threatened with ruin by the energy crisis.

The energy company saw its shares tumble 5.3 per cent, or 27p, to 483p amid talk in the market that one of the world’s most powerful money managers had blacklisted the stock.

As shoppers look to stock up early for the festive season, Sainsbury’s. Waitrose, Ocado, M&S and Tesco reveal when they will release Christmas food delivery slots online.

Passenger numbers meanwhile are expected to be at 70 per cent of 2019 levels in the winter months ahead, a stark rise on 53 per cent in the past three months.

Exclusive data reveals which 12-month-old models are in highest demand right now, with drivers willing to pay almost 20% above ‘list price’ for a car with 10,000 miles already on the clock.

The number of equity release mortgage holders switching to a better interest rate dropped dramatically this year, with brokers saying many are not even aware that they can move to a new plan.

In what may be French Connection’s final report as a publicly listed entity, it revealed profits had reduced from from pre-pandemic levels of £3.6million to £900,000 in the six months to 31 July.

Those tempted to invest in diamonds should beware the difficulties in making money away from the rarified world of unusual stones.

HLT 709C is one of the two surviving Mokes used in the quirky classic show that was driven by Patrick McGoohan in the hit series.

Billionaires Henry Kravis (left) and George Roberts – cousins who set up KKR in New York with Jerome Kohlberg in 1976 – handed over to long-term co-presidents Scott Nuttall and Joe Bae.

In a bleak update to the stock market, the online fashion group said Nick Beighton (pictured) has left after 12 years at the business, including six as chief executive.

More than two thirds of the biggest final salary pension schemes have failed to make ‘robust’ commitments to fight the climate emergency, claims Make My Money Matter.

We live close to my in-laws and our two families regularly do things together and split the cost or spending. Can we get an account to share this from?

The latest BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor shows a negative trend heading into the Christmas trading period. Analysts say fears of fuel shortages prompted consumers to limit shopping journeys.

Soaring gas prices, worldwide energy shortages, fears for energy security and an ambition to have net zero carbon by 2050 have put nuclear power back on the map after a decade in the cold.

Brent crude rose as high as $84.60 in London – a level not seen since October 2018. The US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, traded above $81 a barrel, its highest since late 2014.

Pod Point makes and installs electric vehicle charge points in homes and public locations. The float is a boost to London as it tries to position itself as a hub for battery and tech businesses.

The drugs giant said it will leave its offices in the Brentford, London (pictured) and build a new £120m global campus for its consumer healthcare company in Weybridge, Surrey.

At times such as these the world needs the steadiest hands on the tiller. Unfortunately, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva is distracted greatly.

The FTSE 100 closed 0.7 per cent higher on Monday at 7,146.85 while the FTSE 250 was down 0.2 per cent at 22,487.47. Between the two indexes, the top risers were mining firms Ferrexpo and Anglo American.

Modern Land asked investors to push back the maturity date of a £183million bond from 25 October to 25 January in part ‘to avoid any potential payment default.’

The government has proposed that directors must state why they believe their company’s internal controls and risk management are strong enough to ensure accurate financial reporting.

The crucial thing, in my book, is not only that we remain open to foreign capital coming into the country, and to investing funds abroad, but also to welcoming foreign talent.

The company is always trialling new initiatives, most recently dipping its toe into on-demand groceries with its Whoosh platform, offering groceries in under an hour from its Express stores. Buy.

ReNeuron said its exosome technology can deliver therapeutic proteins to the region of the brain affected by disabling neurological diseases.

Fomenting anti-business sentiment and encouraging workers in a sense of entitlement, at a time when many seem to think WFH is a human right, is a dangerous route for the Tories.

Its portfolio comprises an eclectic mix while its holdings are primarily in quoted investment trusts.

In early September Altus Strategies completed a transformational deal. Up until that point, Altus had largely been a mining exploration company with aspirations in the royalties space.

Michael Saunders, who sits on the MPC, hinted rates could be hiked as early as this year. Markets are starting to price in a December rate rise.

In a release issued ahead of the two-week November event, Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye calls for the UK government to show ‘real leadership in decarbonising aviation’.

My birthday is in October and I reach my 67th birthday in 2027. On my Government pension page it states I can claim my state pension in May 2028. I do not understand why I have to wait.

The launch of the QPR Bond at the end of September gives investors the chance to earn 5 per cent gross interest annually for a minimum buy-in of £500.

More than half of the airport’s 1,787 staff are not needed because it is operating at a heavily reduced capacity. It has already lost 46 per cent of its staff since the start of the pandemic.

Lots of leading funds are not as green as they make out. We look at what is out there for investors keen to put their cash in companies doing genuine good.

The deal is part of a wider restructuring of GFG Alliance, Liberty’s owner, which was forced to seek funding when its key lender, Greensill Capital, collapsed.

Georgieva has been accused by law firm Wilmer Hale of manipulating data in her former role as boss of the World Bank to boost China’s ranking in a closely watched report.

Nest moved my savings out of the Sharia Fund I had chosen and into its own Post Retirement Fund, and then moved me back again. All this was done without my permission.

Koffmann also says investing in a pension when he was young is one of the best decisions he has ever made. He recently filmed a course on classic French Bistro cooking for BBC Maestro.

Andrea Pugh launched her sustainable gifting and homeware marketplace last year and business boomed. But since the restrictions lifted, sales have plummeted and have yet to pick up.

Those already struggling to survive on the basic state pension of £179.60 a week – or less – point out that the soaring cost of living will swallow up more than an expected £6-a-week increase.

Rowe presented an upbeat presentation to investors at the company’s London head office and pointed to ‘a number of positives’. The chain believes it is regaining its footing on the high street.

The rise in profits came amid growing global demand for Dyson products, including the newly launched £400 Corrale straightener, and the roll-out of its Dyson Demo stores.