Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Friday newspaper round-up: Co-op Group, London pubs, Luton airport

(Sharecast News) - Cross-Channel train services serving new destinations will be cheaper to run under a scheme to grow international rail travel from the UK. London St Pancras Highspeed (LSPH), which owns and operates the railway and stations from the capital to the Channel tunnel, said it would slash charges for operators planning new routes. Eurostar is the sole existing operator between the UK and Europe, with regular direct trains reaching only Paris and Brussels, as engineering work affects the Amsterdam route until May. - Guardian The Co-operative Group plans to open at least a further 120 grocery shops this year after profits rose more than fivefold, but told the government that "layering costs" on retailers could hit high streets and communities. The mutual, which owns more than 800 funeral parlours and an insurance and legal advisory business as well as operating more than 2,000 convenience shops, said changes to employers' national insurance contributions (NICs) and packaging regulations were expected to add £80m to its costs this year. It also lost £80m to shoplifters last year despite spending millions on new security measures. - Guardian

Pubs in London could stay open longer after Sir Sadiq Khan was handed fresh powers to overturn council bans on noisy bars amid a row over the capital's dying nightlife. The London Mayor will be able to "call in" blocked planning applications as part of a package of measures designed by ministers to boost the capital's hospitality industry, the Government said on Friday. - Telegraph

The Government has overruled the advice of planning officials to wave through the expansion of Luton airport. Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, approved the move to almost double the capacity of Luton on Thursday. Passenger numbers will rise to 32m by 2043 thanks to the creation of a new terminal. The increase will almost double the 16.7m passengers that passed through Luton in 2024. Ms Alexander has given the green light to the expansion despite the Planning Inspectorate urging her to reject it on environmental grounds. - Telegraph

One of Britain's biggest private companies has announced plans to double the size of a new factory in Texas to make even more products in the US in the wake of President Trump's announcement of his tariff regime. Staffordshire-based JCB, which has been making diggers and other machinery in America for more than 50 years, said plans for a 500,000 sq ft factory in San Antonio had been revised since Trump unveiled a 10 per cent tariff on all imported UK goods. The $500 million plant, which is due to begin production next year and will employ up to 1,500 workers, will now be 1 million sq ft. - The Times

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Friday newspaper round-up: Harrods, USD1, European ETFs
(Sharecast News) - Staff at the Co-op have been ordered to keep their cameras on during remote meetings to verify attendees while Marks & Spencer has halted all recruitment as the companies tackle cyber attacks. Both retailers have had to shut down parts of their IT systems after hackers infiltrated their networks with alleged ransomware attacks. Harrods, the luxury London department store, became the third household name to confirm it had fallen victim to cyber criminals on Thursday. - The Times
Thursday newspaper round-up: Ukraine-US deal, Microsoft, Tesla...
(Sharecast News) - Ukraine and the US have announced they have reached a vital minerals deal following months of sometimes fraught negotiations. In Washington on Wednesday, the two countries said they signed an agreement on a joint fund to invest in Ukraine's reconstruction, with a draft saying Washington would get preferential access to new Ukrainian natural resources deals. - The Independent
Tuesday newspaper round-up: Gas power stations, blackouts, IBM
(Sharecast News) - Britain's gas power stations should be nationalised to prevent their owners from holding the electricity market "to ransom", a thinktank has urged. The country's dwindling fossil fuel power plants are ripe for nationalisation as ministers aim to reduce gas consumption to just 5% of the electricity system by 2030, according to a report by Common Wealth. - Guardian
Monday newspaper round-up: UK banks, RedBird Capital, Will Shu
(Sharecast News) - UK banks' earnings reports will be studied this week for signs of turmoil linked to Donald Trump's tariff drama, with uncertainty over global growth likely to weigh on lenders with heavy exposure to China, including HSBC. First-quarter profits only reflect the January-to-March period that preceded the US president's "liberation day" tariff announcements on 2 April. But investors will be concerned about any hints of caution around earnings forecasts, as well as an uptick in money put aside for defaults by tariff-hit borrowers. - Guardian

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.