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: Steel industry, Daily Mirror, pensions

(Sharecast News) - The UK steel industry has called for the government to promise to buy British as it prepares for a major expansion of offshore wind generation. Wind generation has become a key part of the UK's energy system, contributing 29% of generated electricity in 2023. However, despite the huge increase in the number of turbines, only 2% of the steel used in British offshore wind projects over the past five years was made in the UK, according to a study by the consultants Lumen Energy & Environment, commissioned by UK Steel, a lobby group. - Guardian Labour ministers have backed plans for a £15m fund to redistribute food from farms that otherwise go to waste, particularly around Christmas. Grants starting from £20,000 will be handed to the not-for-profit food redistribution sector in England to repackage farm food and deliver it to homeless shelters, food banks and charities. - Guardian

Journalists at the Daily Mirror have been offered bonuses to write sponsored articles promoting household products as the newspaper's publisher for new sources of revenue. Staff at Reach, which also owns the Express and regional titles including the Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo, have been offered an extra £60 if they create "affiliate content" that generates more than £600 in revenues. - Telegraph

A campaign to save a popular "mild" cask beer from Carlsberg's axe has been backed by thousands of drinkers - including former Slade rocker Noddy Holder. Mr Holder, best known for Slade's 1973 hit "Merry Xmas Everybody", has signed a petition urging Carlsberg to keep brewing barrels of Banks's Mild, which was first served 150 years ago. Banks's Mild is among a slate of beers being withdrawn by the Danish brewer next week. - Telegraph

International investors increased their holdings of UK government bonds before the budget as analysts forecast that the pound and shares would be the winners of the country's political stability and closer relations with the European Union in the coming years. Foreign bondholders ramped up their gilt holdings by £55 billion in October - a rare vote of confidence for the new government, which has been widely criticised by business groups for tax rises. - The Times

Pensioners in their eighties and nineties are mounting a campaign to shame some of the world's biggest companies after seeing their real retirement incomes shrink by another 3 per cent in the past year. Former employees of blue-chip companies including American Express, Pfizer, KPMG UK, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Goldman Sachs have formed an alliance to lobby ministers to put pressure on the businesses, which in some cases have frozen their pensions for years. - The Times

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Monday newspaper round-up: Companies House, supermarkets, UK economy
(Sharecast News) - The UK government agency responsible for overseeing a national register of companies has collected just £1,250 in fines after being given new powers to crack down on corruption, it has emerged. Companies House is implementing a series of reforms, amid embarrassing revelations about fraudsters and jokers signing up to the corporate register with names such as "Darth Vader" and "Santa Claus". - Guardian
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
Thursday newspaper round-up: Tax increases, Jes Staley, Barclay family
(Sharecast News) - Rachel Reeves has defended the £40bn in tax increases in autumn's budget as businesses brace for their impact, saying NHS waiting lists would now be higher if she had not taken action. Employers are set for a £25bn increase in national insurance contributions (NICs), which comes into force on 6 April, at the same time as consumers are being hit by a slew of increases in bills for everything from utilities to car tax. - Guardian
Wednesday newspaper round-up: Motor finance compensation, car manufacturers, Rebel Energy
(Sharecast News) - A court of appeal ruling that has left lenders fearing PPI-level compensation bills over the motor finance commission scandal "goes too far", the City regulator said on Tuesday. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) made the comments in a written submission to the supreme court on Tuesday, as part of a high-profile case being closely watched by the government. The Treasury, which tried but failed to intervene in the case, is concerned the standing decision could spook businesses and threaten investment in the UK. - 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.