Nissan confirmed it will build all-electric future versions of its Juke and Qashqai SUVs alongside the next-gen Leaf at its plant in Sunderland, UK, and said the new EVs will be inspired by its “Hyper” series of concepts recently unveiled at Japan Mobility Show. The Japanese automaker announced it is investing a total of up to 3 billion pounds ($3.75 billion) in the production of the three EVs, the construction of three battery gigafactories with partner Envision AESC—one more than initially planned—and related infrastructure at its plant in Sunderland, UK….
Read MoreCategory: Business
UK mortgage arrears rise as borrowers feel squeeze, says Nationwide
Nationwide has warned that mortgage arrears are rising as the building society reported increased profits on the back of higher interest rates. Higher borrowing costs after the Bank of England raised interest rates 14 times since the end of 2021 have caused financial pain for some mortgage holders while benefiting savers. Nationwide said its residential mortgage arrears had increased from historically low levels but were below the industry average. Related: New mortgage deal falls below 5% in ‘watershed moment’ for UK homeowners The lender added: “Further increases in arrears from…
Read MorePrivate sector receives N1.18trn new loans in Q1 2022
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said, bank credit to the private sector rose to N36.37 trillion as of March 2022, representing N1.18 trillion net new loans to the real sector in the first quarter of the year. The banking sector has been encouraged by the CBN to continue to inject funds into the real sector of the economy in order to promote growth and ensure recovery from the recession witnessed during the covid-19 lockdown in 2020. The monetary policy committee of the Central Bank during the 284th MPC…
Read MoreBP posts $12.8 billion profit in 2021
British energy giant bp reported a $12.8 billion profit in 2021, compared to a $5.69 billion loss in 2020, fueled by higher global oil and gas prices, it announced on Tuesday. The company recorded a $4.06 billion profit in the fourth quarter of 2021, up from a $3.3 billion profit in the third quarter, driven by ‘higher oil and gas realizations, higher upstream production volumes and stronger refining commercial optimization.’ The company managed to reduce net debt for the seventh successive quarter to $30.6 billion at the end of 2021….
Read MoreUS President” Biden plans to build national network of electric vehicle chargers
US President Joe Biden unveiled his administration’s plans Tuesday to build a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers.”It is going to help ensure that America leads the world in electric vehicles. China has been leading that race up to now, but this is about to change, because America is building convenient, reliable, equitable national public charging networks,” he said at a White House news conference. “Wherever you live, charging an electric vehicle would be quick and easy, and this foundation will help American automakers set the pace for electric…
Read MoreUS Seizes $3.6 Bn of Stolen Bitcoin in Record Hau
The US Justice Department announced Tuesday it had recovered more than 94,000 bitcoin stolen in 2016, currently valued at $3.6 billion, a record seizure. A couple accused of seeking to launder the bitcoin were arrested in New York, the department said. Ilya Lichtenstein, 34, and his wife Heather Morgan, 31, were set to appear in federal court over the charges. Lichtenstein and Morgan allegedly sought to launder the proceeds of 119,754 bitcoin — then valued at $65 million — that were stolen during a 2016 hack of the virtual currency…
Read MoreCovid travel tests axed in England and Scotland for fully vaccinated
People arriving in England or Scotland from abroad will no longer have to take Covid tests if they are fully vaccinated, it has been confirmed. In a boost for families, the changes will come in from 4am on 11 February, in time for the half-term break. Rules have also been eased for unvaccinated travellers, who will no longer have to take a day eight test or self isolate. However, they will still need pre-departure and day two tests. And everyone arriving in England and Scotland, regardless of vaccination status, will…
Read MoreThe digital transformation of trade finance: An urgent present and a bright future
Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy—it drives growth and competitiveness. It promotes fairness. It spurs innovation and efficiency. When trade flows in a rules-based system, jobs, wages, and investment increase. Underpinning trade at every stage of the global supply chain: trade finance. By providing liquidity and cash flows and lowering risks, trade finance ensures that buyers receive their goods and sellers receive their payments. Simply put, the movement of goods and services across borders doesn’t occur without trade finance. Yet the world faces a massive and persistent trade…
Read MoreUK Government pledges “more timely payments” for small businesses
Proposed measures to end the problem of late payments to small businesses by large companies which “abuse their position in the market” have been put forward by small business minister Kelly Tolhurst. Nearly a quarter of UK businesses report that late payments are a threat to their survival, according to the government. Tackling the problem could add £2.5bn to the UK economy and keep an extra 50,000 businesses open each year, according to research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Among the proposals is a call for evidence on…
Read MoreNigeria: NNPC – Oil Revenue Rose By 35% to U.S.$416 Million in June
Nigeria’s revenue from crude oil and gas sales rose by 35 per cent, representing $416m in June, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said yesterday. The NNPC in a statement, which announced the release of its June 2018 monthly financial and operations report in Abuja, stated the total financial value of the crude oil and gas export sales the country made in the month was $416.07 million in June. It explained that the figures were 35.78 per cent higher than that of the previous month which was $343.08 million. This…
Read More