6:48 am, September 12, 2024
Business body calls for ‘clear direction’ from government on net zero
There must be a ‘clear direction’ from government on net zero, one of the country’s most prominent business bodies will say on Thursday.
The CBI will host its annual dinner in Glasgow, which will be addressed by the group’s chief executive Rain Newton-Smith.
In her address, Newton-Smith will urge governments north and south of the border to harness the ‘restless energy’ of Scotland’s businesses in relation to the net zero sector and harness ‘Scotland’s clean energy as a golden ticket to growth’.
EasyJet’s parent company loses High Court trademark battle
EasyJet’s parent company has lost a High Court trademark dispute against a shopping website which has ‘easy’ in its name.
EasyGroup took legal action against easyfundraising Ltd, its founder Ian Woodroffe OBE and investors The Support Group (UK) Ltd, after claiming it had infringed various trademarks. The defendants denied the allegations made against them, claiming there was no evidence to suggest a customer would confuse the two brands.
In a ruling on Wednesday, Mr Justice Fancourt dismissed easyGroup’s claims, saying ‘it is unlikely that any but a few would make the association and be confused’ between the two brands.
Jeep Avenger scores only three stars in latest Euro NCAP results
Jeep’s Avenger has been criticised by judges in the latest round of Euro NCAP safety tests.
The Avenger, which arrived as Jeep’s first electric vehicle, was scored just three stars during the recent examinations, with crash tests exposing a ‘surprising’ lack of chest protection for a 10-year-old occupant.
Despite the compact crossover winning numerous awards, its lack of a child presence detection system and poor performance in several crash avoidance tests with pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists means that Jeep’s EV lacked the safety equipment offered by rivals.
The markets
The FTSE 100 had a mixed day on Wednesday, finishing slightly down after news of flatlining economic growth in the UK and softening US inflation. IIt fell 12 points, or 0.15%, to end the day at 8,194.
At the end of the day in Europe, Frankfurt’s Dax index rose 0.34%, while the Cac 40 in Paris had closed down 0.14%. In New York a little while after markets had closed in Europe the S&P 500 was trading down 0.97%, while the Dow Jones was 1.30% lower.
On currency markets the pound was trading 0.43% lower against the dollar at 1.3024 and had dropped 0.38% against the euro at 1.1825.
NHS must ‘reform or die’, Sir Keir Starmer says as major report is published
The NHS must reform or die, Sir Keir Starmer will say, as a major report on the health service is published.
The prime minister will set out his plans for tackling long waiting lists, improving the nation’s health and shifting the focus towards community services after a damning report from Lord Darzi found the NHS is ‘in serious trouble’.
The rapid review, completed in nine weeks, diagnoses the problems in the NHS and sets out themes for the government to incorporate into a 10-year plan for reforming the health service.
Surveyors report rise in house prices for first time in nearly two years
House prices are showing signs of increasing for the first time in nearly two years as market activity picks up, according to surveyors.
Price growth moved into positive territory last month for the first time since October 2022, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said.
A net balance of 1% of professionals reported prices rising rather than falling in August – and a balance of 14% expect a steady increase over the next three months. August’s survey results also indicated a rise in the number of house hunters, with a net balance of 15% of professionals noticing an improvement in this survey indicator, up from a balance of 4% in July.
Wednesday on Car Dealer
Sudden closure of Letchworth car auction business leaves car dealers out of pocket
Letchworth Motor Auctions has closed due to a significant rent increase, leaving many dealers out of pocket. The sudden closure, with only three days’ notice, caused financial losses and frustration among staff and dealers. Negotiations with the landlord failed.
Dale Wyatt to take early retirement from top role at Suzuki GB
Dale Wyatt will retire as Suzuki GB’s director of automobile for the UK and Ireland in March after 18 years, prioritizing health and future advisory roles. David Kateley, who has worked with Wyatt for over a decade, will succeed him.
Glyn Hopkin Group appoints Tim Murphy as chief operating officer
Glyn Hopkin appointed Tim Murphy as chief operating officer. With experience at Marshall Motor Group and Motorline Group, Murphy will oversee 35 dealerships across several regions. CEO Fraser Cohen praised his strategic insight and leadership for driving the group’s future growth.
Hot stuff! Chorley Group notches up 20-year fleet milestone with fire prevention firm
Chorley Group celebrates 20 years of supplying Nissan vans to Black Box Group, a fire prevention and security company in the north-west of England. The partnership has strengthened, with a new van supplied monthly, highlighting mutual commitment and future growth.
Heritage Automotive suffers profit fall of more than 50% as margins come under pressure
Heritage Automotive’s 2023 pre-tax profit fell by 52% to £1.996m, despite a 21.8% rise in turnover to £218.311m. Ebitda dropped by 25.6%, while new vehicle sales increased but faced margin pressures. Technician recruitment and rising interest charges remain challenges.
European Union set to lower proposed final tariffs on EVs from Tesla and China
The EU is set to reduce proposed tariffs on Tesla and some Chinese EVs. Tesla’s levy drops from 9% to 7.8%, Geely’s from 19.3% to 18.8%, and MG owner SAIC faces up to 35.3%. EU members will vote on the changes.
Weather
A cool and breezy day is in store for most of the country, reports BBC Weather. It’ll start sunny with scattered showers, while those downpours may get heavier in the south later on. Showers will ease later; temperatures will only get to a high of 15 degrees.
A dry night with clear skies, however there will be a few light showers across the north of Scotland. A cold night – there may be even be a touch of frost.
