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.

Monday newspaper round-up: Russian debts, BrewDog, Virgin Atlantic

(Sharecast News) - A Russian default on its debts after western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine is no longer "improbable", but would not trigger a global financial crisis, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Sunday. The Washington-based fund's managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, said the sanctions imposed by the United States and other nations were already having a "severe" impact on the Russian economy and would trigger a deep recession there this year. The war in Ukraine will also drive up food and energy prices, leading to hunger in Africa, she added. - Guardian The boss of BrewDog, James Watt, hired private investigators to obtain information about people whom he believed were taking part in a smear campaign against him and repeatedly accused one woman of being involved until she blocked him on social media. According to multiple sources and evidence seen by the Guardian, private investigators who said they were working for Watt approached people to gather evidence about those who he appeared to believe had maligned him. - Guardian

Virgin Atlantic will reignite its decades-long dogfight with British Airways after a fortuitous bet that oil prices would rocket paid off following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a departure from previous years, Sir Richard Branson's airline has locked in fuel prices for 2022 at $90 a barrel, saving the carrier tens of millions of pounds, The Telegraph can disclose. - Telegraph

The government is exploring whether old coal-fired power stations that are due to close this year could be kept open to ease the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Officials have approached EDF to find out if its West Burton A plant in Nottinghamshire could continue generating beyond its planned September closure date, The Times can reveal. - The Times

Companies face fresh pressure to pull out of Russia after Rishi Sunak told them to "think very carefully" about investments there. The chancellor warned yesterday that there was "no case for new investment in Russia". He also welcomed announcements by businesses including BP and Shell that they were offloading Russian assets. Sunak said: "The government supports further signals of intent." His intervention escalates government efforts to urge companies to sever links with Russia. - The Times

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Friday newspaper round-up: Binance, water bosses, entrepreneurs, Amazon
(Sharecast News) - The amount Britons can earn from a side hustle without paying tax will rise to £3,000 next year in a fillip for those who make extra cash from hobbies or reselling. Up to 1.4 million people could benefit from the change announced in the budget, with the chancellor confirming the tax-free "trading" allowance will increase from £1,000 to £3,000 in April 2027. - Guardian
Thursday newspaper round-up: Thames Water, Toblerone, Rolls-Royce
(Sharecast News) - A group of creditors to troubled Thames Water are poised to vote on whether to grant an emergency £2.4bn loan to keep the company afloat, as campaigners raise concerns it could add £40 to each household's bills in interest alone. A consortium of creditors, called London & Valley Water, will vote on Thursday on whether to increase a funding facility for the debt-laden utility company to £5.4bn to keep it operating to autumn 2027. - Guardian
Wednesday newspaper round-up: Sizewell plant, Rosebank oilfield, Google
(Sharecast News) - The government's plan to fund a multibillion-pound nuclear plant at the Sizewell site in Suffolk represents a "terrible deal" for the UK taxpayer over the rest of the century, according to the government's spending watchdog. MPs on the public accounts committee (PAC) have warned the government that the cost of the Sizewell C nuclear reactor could spiral to almost £48bn, leaving bill payers on the hook to provide an extra £9.8bn to construct the plant before 2040 and a further £12bn over its 60-year operating life. - Guardian
Tuesday newspaper round-up: Shop price inflation, Microsoft, Helsing
(Sharecast News) - Shop price inflation has risen to the highest level in two and a half years, according to the British Retail Consortium, which warned that "the dam is starting to break" when it comes to retailers trying to limit price rises for customers. The lobby group said shop price inflation was 2.1% year on year in October, a sharp rise compared with 1.4% in September, and an indication that retailers were beginning to pass on the rising costs of energy and food ingredients since the Middle East conflict broke out. - 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.