Asda and National Express are among a number of firms set to offer rewards to young people getting a COVID jab. Free Now taxis, lastminute.com and Better leisure centres will also offer incentives for those booking in for a vaccine. Uber, Bolt and Deliveroo have already said they will offer discounted rides and meals for
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India is set to spend 100trn rupees (£972bn) on a national infrastructure plan to boost economic growth and help the country meet its climate goals. Speaking as part of Independence Day celebrations in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the programme will “create job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of young people”. “It will help
Some of the world’s biggest oil companies are currently paying negative tax on their fossil fuel extraction and production operations in the North Sea. Official data published by the UK government-backed Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative shows that in the tax year 2019-20, ExxonMobil received £117m in total from HMRC, Shell got £110m, and BP received
Gatwick Airport has accused the government of failing to take advantage of the UK’s “world-leading” coronavirus vaccination programme while revealing “very low” passenger numbers. The UK’s second-largest airport said it handled just 569,000 people during the first six months of 2021 and made a loss of almost £245m over the period despite operating costs being
The UK economy grew by 4.8% in the second quarter of the year, according to official figures charting the fightback from the last lockdowns imposed on households and businesses to tackle the coronavirus crisis. The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) had been expected to show a hit in the final month as
The John Lewis Partnership says it is to create 500 new jobs as it takes control of a massive distribution centre to meet an expansion in online sales. The owner of the John Lewis department store chain and Waitrose supermarkets said it had signed an agreement with Tesco to lease a one million sq ft
The battle for British pharmaceutical firm Vectura will not go to auction, after one of the two hopefuls said at the last minute that it would not increase its bid. US private equity firm Carlyle had made the first move for the Wiltshire-based FTSE 250-listed firm, which makes inhaled medicines and devices to treat respiratory
A top figure in the haulage industry has told Sky News that deploying army personnel to help tackle the HGV driver shortage “will not scratch the surface” of the UK’s delivery crisis. A Government spokesperson said: “The recent pandemic has proven that the UK has a large, diverse and highly resilient food supply chain that
A shortage of new models has helped drive a near-record leap in sales of used cars, according to industry figures. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported that 2,167,504 vehicles changed hands during the second quarter of the year – up 6.6% on 2019 pre-pandemic levels. The body said it was the best
One of Britain’s biggest convenience store groups is plotting a £30m cash call to accelerate the expansion of its partnership with Morrisons, the supermarket giant. Sky News has learnt that McColl’s Retail Group has approached institutional investors about a placing to raise almost as much as its existing £40m market capitalisation. McColl’s could be forced
Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways is plotting a surprise flotation on the London Stock Exchange as it pins its hopes on a rapid rebound in transatlantic travel. Sky News has learnt that Virgin Atlantic has been holding talks with institutional investors about making its public market debut just five months after landing a fresh
Jobs growth in the US exceeded expectations last month while unemployment fell in a further sign the economy continues to bounce back from the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic. So-called nonfarm payrolls increased by 943,000 in July, official employment figures showed, which was above the 860,000 forecasted by economists. Hotels and restaurants reopening for business
Football Manager players will no longer be able to manage ‘Manchester United’, following a settlement between the club and the games developer Sports Interactive. Instead, from FM22 onwards, the Manchester United football club will be renamed “Manchester UFC” or “Man UFC”, the games maker announced on Friday. Fans of the game and the club have
A takeover bid for the supermarket chain Morrisons by a private equity-backed consortium has been increased to £6.7bn following speculation of a rival offer. The group led by Fortress Investment Group has increased its previous financial pitch for the Bradford-based grocer, which had been agreed by management, by £400m. It said it upped the offer
The creators of the long-running and often controversial cartoon South Park have penned a new deal to bring 14 more movies to screens. Matt Stone and Trey Parker have also seen their show renewed through to a 30th season in a deal thought to be worth about $900 million (£650 million). The pair will make
Around 15 million families will see their energy bills soar by up to £139 after the regulator hiked the price cap by the biggest increase yet. The sharp rise, which will impact half the population, is driven by a rise of more than 50% in wholesale fuel costs over the last six months with gas
A row has broken out over the “naming and shaming” of companies which fail to meet minimum pay rules, with the John Lewis Partnership (JLP) understood to be furious after it was identified as an offender. The Department for Business (BEIS) released a list of 191 firms it wanted to publicly call out for failing
Britain’s economy continues to rebound but is losing some of the earlier momentum in the face of inflationary pressures, fresh figures indicate. Growth among UK service companies, which make up the lion’s share of UK economic output, slowed to its lowest levels since March although is still strong, according to an influential poll. The sector
A UK businessman with precious stock on the container ship Ever Given has spoken of his relief that the ship has finally arrived in the UK, four months later than scheduled. The vessel, one of the largest of its kind in the world, docked at Felixstowe to offload cargo following one of the most extraordinary
Fewer contacts of people with coronavirus will be told to isolate by the NHS COVID-19 app after an update today. The “logic” which underpins how close contacts are identified and notified will be changed following a review into the NHS COVID-19 app by the health secretary, the Department for Health and Social Care says. Live