6:40 am, December 7, 2022
Trade minister tours US to strike state-level trade agreements
Trade minister Greg Hands is touring the US to sign the UK’s third state-level trade agreement and seek closer ties with further individual states.
With a comprehensive post-Brexit trade deal with the US appearing some way off, Britain has been focusing on smaller, state-by-state agreements.
He begins his trip in South Carolina, where he will sign the UK’s third trade Memorandum of Understanding with a US state after reaching deals with Indiana and North Carolina earlier this year. The four-day trip also includes stops in California and Utah.
Asda targets 300 new convenience stores creating 10,000 jobs
Asda has laid out an ambitious expansion plan for its new convenience store business that will create 300 shops and around 10,000 jobs over the next four years.
The UK’s third largest supermarket chain said it plans to open Asda Express shops next year in Wiltshire, Essex and Surrey as part of the rollout.
The stores will stock around 3,000 products including fresh, chilled and ambient groceries. Customers will also be able to buy a range of hot and cold ‘food for now’ options.
PM performs U-turn over onshore wind turbines
Rishi Sunak has bowed to pressure from Tory backbenchers to allow new onshore wind farms by committing to consult on how local communities can consent to fresh projects.
Under the proposals, planning permission would depend on demonstrating local support and ‘appropriately’ addressing any impacts identified by the community, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said.
The move amounts to a U-turn on the PM’s opposition to building new turbines onshore, set out in his failed first bid for the Conservative leadership.
Companies fined £435,000 for targeting over-60s with unlawful marketing calls
Five companies have been fined a total of £435,000 for targeting people over 60 with nearly half a million unlawful marketing calls.
The firms were ‘deliberately targeting’ those signed up with the Telephone Preference Service – a register for those who do not want to receive marketing calls – to sell insurance for washing machines, kitchen appliances or boiler cover.
Homeowners over 60 with a landline were targeted by Allapplianceservices UK Ltd, Boiler Cover Breakdown Ltd, Boiler Breakdown Ltd, Repair Plans UK Ltd and Utility Guard Ltd, which used pressure tactics with a view to getting payment details, the Information Commissioner’s Office said.
US to double gas exports to UK under plans to clamp down on sky-high prices
The US is set to double its gas exports to the UK under plans to clamp down on rising living costs by weaning Britain off Russian energy.
The prime minister has pledged that the new partnership to boost energy security, efficiency and affordability will cut prices for Britons and ensure the UK’s national supply can ‘never again be manipulated by the whims of a failing regime’.
Budget and own-brand ranges worst hit by raging supermarket inflation, says Which?
Prices of supermarket own-brand and budget products have increased more than premium and branded foods during the cost-of-living crisis, according to new figures.
Which? tracked annual inflation on tens of thousands of food and drink products across seven months at eight major supermarkets – Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose – to find that own-brand and budget ranges have gone up by as much as 18 per cent.
This was versus around 13 per cent for premium own-brand ranges and 12 per cent for branded items.
Pension pullbacks being considered to ease financial squeeze
Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of people with a pension are considering withdrawing money from it, or stopping paying in, or reducing the size of their contributions, to ease the pressure on their finances, according to a survey.
More than two-fifths (42 per cent) of 16-to-24-year-olds and just under two-fifths (38 per cent) of 25-to-34-year-olds are likely to make changes to relieve their current financial situation, the research from Aviva found.
More than 2,000 people were surveyed between late September and early October.
Stormont to be recalled amid impasse
The Stormont Assembly will be recalled later today for another seemingly doomed bid to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland.
Rival parties are attempting to ramp up the pressure on the DUP to end its boycott of devolution, but unless the party unexpectedly changes its stance, the move will not succeed.
A petition tabled by Sinn Fein gained the necessary 30 MLA signatures to secure a recall of the crisis-hit institutions, which will take place at 12pm.
Toyota continues to develop hydrogen combustion engine tech
Toyota is continuing to work on an engine powered by hydrogen as the brand explores various possibilities for zero-emission vehicles.
Last year, it revealed a one-off version of its GR Yaris that used hydrogen rather than petrol to power its engine.
Ongoing testing has led to ‘rapid progress’ of the tech, it says, with engine power increasing by 24 per cent, engine torque improving by 33 per cent and refuelling time ‘significantly’ reduced. Full story here
San Francisco pauses on ‘killer police robots’ amid outcry
San Francisco supervisors voted yesterday to put the brakes on a controversial policy that would have let police use robots for deadly force just days after their approval of the plan generated fierce pushback.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to explicitly ban the use of robots in such a fashion for now.
But they sent the issue back to a committee for further discussion and could vote in the future to let police use robots in a lethal manner in limited cases. The board voted last week to allow the use of deadly robots in extreme circumstances.
Tuesday’s headlines on Car Dealer you might have missed
- Police launch investigation after Acklam Car Centre targeted in suspected arson attack
- Irish car dealer wins wrongful dismissal case after foul-mouthed tirade from boss
- Toyota boss admits 2022 has been a ‘very tough’ year for Lexus
- AA Cars launches nationwide delivery service
- We must all work together to tackle the stress that is around us
- Faster and more profitable trade sales are available with Dealer Auction
Market movements
The FTSE 100 closed 46.15 points down at 7,521.39 yesterday. The Cac 40 was down 9.17 points at 6,687.79, the Dax was down 104.42 points at 14,343.19 and the Dow Jones was down 350.76 points at 33,596.34.
Weather outlook
It’ll be chilly today and scattered showers will edge into North Sea coastal areas at times, says BBC Weather, with some of them wintry in north Scotland. It’ll be drier and brighter elsewhere, with showers along western coasts.
Thursday will see the cold northerly flow continue, bringing more wintry showers including to lower levels in northern Scotland and along western coasts. Elsewhere should stay drier and clearer but it’ll again be chilly.
