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.

Wednesday newspaper round-up: Energy price cap, Twitter, GB Group

(Sharecast News) - Liz Truss's intervention to freeze energy prices for households for two years is expected to cost the government £89bn, according to the first major costing of the policy by the sector's leading consultancy. The analysis from Cornwall Insight, seen exclusively by the Guardian, shows the prime minister's plan to tackle the cost of living crisis could cost as much as £140bn in a worst-case scenario. - Guardian Elon Musk has offered to complete his proposed $44bn (£38bn) acquisition of Twitter in a dramatic U-turn on his decision to walk away from the deal. Lawyers for Musk confirmed in a court filing on Tuesday that the world's richest man is prepared to push ahead with the transaction on the agreed terms following months of legal drama. - Guardian

Crispin Odey has made returns of almost 200pc so far this year as market turmoil and a slump in the pound boosted gains at his hedge fund. The Tory donor, who was a vocal backer of the Brexit campaign, last week declared that government bonds were "the gift that keeps on giving" after prices plunged. He has previously bet that the pound would slide against the dollar, while also shorting gilts. - Telegraph

The Bank of England chose not to buy any bonds yesterday under its emergency two-week operation to calm gilt markets, turning down offers from traders looking to sell £2.2 billion of debt. Having bought only £22 million of UK government bonds on Monday, the latest lack of intervention suggests that the Bank has so far succeeded in halting a dramatic sell-off without having to spend anywhere near what it had originally set aside. - The Times

Shares in GB Group dropped to a one-month low after the American private equity group GTCR said it would not proceed with a potential takeover bid. The company, one of the world's biggest providers of fraud prevention software, confirmed that talks with Chicago-based GTCR had ended because an agreement "could not be reached on terms". - The Times

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Wednesday newspaper round-up: Global defence bank, KPMG, Frasers Group
(Sharecast News) - John Healey is in talks with the Canadian government about joining a new global defence bank intended to help allies rearm to counter mounting security threats, just weeks after Rachel Reeves rejected the move. The chancellor is understood to be actively considering a bid to join the proposed Canada-led defence, security and resilience bank (DSRB), which proponents say could help the UK fund defence projects at lower cost, before planned talks with his Canadian counterpart this week. - Guardian
Tuesday newspaper round-up: Red Sea islands, BoE bond selling, energy imports
(Sharecast News) - Yemen's Houthi militants have seized two strategic islands in the Red Sea, reinforcing the Iran-backed group's ability to control a key shipping route, as concerns mount that the world is facing a new oil supply crisis. The seizure of the islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish is the latest in the militant group's swift advance across Yemen's Red Sea coast, after the capture of the port of Mokha and Perim island in the Bab al-Mandab strait. - Guardian
Monday newspaper round-up: hospitality businesses, rail passengers, Battersea Power Station
(Sharecast News) - Hundreds of UK hospitality businesses, backed by celebrity chefs including Angela Hartnett and Heston Blumenthal, have asked Andy Burnham to lay out plans to lower VAT for the sector, urging him to make good on his previous pledge. More than 800 businesses have written an open letter to the prime minister as part of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, to warn that without a "fairer tax burden for hospitality", there will be more closures and job losses, and fewer opportunities for young people. - Guardian
Friday newspaper round-up: Energy bills, triple lock, ONS data crisis
(Sharecast News) - Consumers will pay higher energy bills unless the UK government speeds up work on a vast programme of upgrades to the electricity grid to enable the switch to renewables, the public spending watchdog has warned. The National Audit Office (NAO) said that without faster action the extra costs associated with managing the ageing power network, which are ultimately passed on to the public, could reach £7.8bn a year by 2030. - 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.