Tag: cost-cutting

Cost-cutting boosts Barclays profits

Cost-cutting boosts Barclays profits

In an interim management statement today, banking giant Barclays said profits climbed 5% in the third quarter – boosted by cost-cutting measures. For the three months to the end of September, the bank said pre-tax profits were £1.34 billion, versus £1.27 billion for the same period a year earlier. However, revenues for the three month [...]

HSBC planning 3,000 jobs in Hong Kong

HSBC planning 3,000 jobs in Hong Kong

Banking giant HSBC has today announced plans to axe 3,000 jobs at its Asian headquarters in Hong Kong over the next three years. The reduction in headcount is part of an ongoing global cost-cutting plan after comes shortly after the bank said it would axe 30,000 jobs by 2013. The bank, which is Europe’s largest, [...]

Bovis reports 130% rise in pre-tax profits

Bovis reports 130% rise in pre-tax profits

Housebuilder Bovis has today reported profits more than doubled in the six months to the end of June as a result of cost-cutting and rising house prices. The company said pre-tax profits surged to £8.1 million in the six month period compared with £3.5 million in the same period a year earlier, while revenue rose [...]

HSBC offloads US credit card division in $32.7bn deal

HSBC offloads US credit card division in $32.7bn deal

Banking giant HSBC has today announced it has disposed of its US credit card division to Capital One Financial, as part of a global strategic cost-cutting exercise. The announcement comes shortly after the bank said it would slash its underperforming US branch network by half and also announced it would axe 30,000 jobs globally in [...]

HSBC to reduce headcount by 10,000

HSBC to reduce headcount by 10,000

According to a report today, banking giant HSBC is to axe more than 10,000 jobs as part of the bank’s strategic review. The report from Sky News said some of the cuts will come from its head office while others will be the result of closing some retail banking operations. However, a spokesperson for the [...]

Lloyds Banking Group set to axe thousands more jobs

Lloyds Banking Group set to axe thousands more jobs

According to a report in the Sunday Times, banking giant Lloyds is set to axe a further 15,000 jobs, as part of a cost-cutting exercise. The job losses are expected to be revealed at the end of this month by chief executive, Antonio Horta-Osorio, who assumed the role earlier this year after being poached from [...]

HSBC faces shareholder backlash over pay

HSBC faces shareholder backlash over pay

HSBC, which is Europe’s largest bank, was the recipient of shareholder anger yesterday at its annual general meeting. Shareholders were disgruntled about the level of pay to executives and 20% of investors rejected the bank’s remuneration plan, which included new arrangements for paying board members after last year’s AGM. However, while 80% of shareholders supported [...]

HSBC unveils cost-cutting measures

HSBC unveils cost-cutting measures

HSBC has today revealed it will embark on a massive cost-cutting exercise, just two days after it unveiled its first quarter results. The bank, which is Europe’s largest, is looking to save up to $3.5 billion (£2 billion) by streamlining its IT operations and cutting back on its wealth management and retail divisions. However, the [...]

Northern Rock to axe 680 jobs

Northern Rock to axe 680 jobs

Crisis-torn Northern Rock has today announced it will reduce headcount by a further 680 as part of another restructure. According to the lender, which was nationalised in February 2008, the job losses are necessary as part of a cost-cutting exercise and would affect employees “at all grades across the company”. Less than 2,000 people will [...]

Yahoo to slash workforce by 4%

Yahoo to slash workforce by 4%

Online search giant Yahoo has confirmed it will reduce its headcount by 4% – or 600 people, as part of a cost-cutting exercise. The job losses represent the fourth round of staff cuts that the company has made in three years, as it endeavours to cut costs and increase profits. The company’s revenues have grown [...]

Royal Dutch Shell Q2 profits surge 94%

Royal Dutch Shell Q2 profits surge 94%

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has today announced second quarter profits almost doubled after completing its restructuring programme ahead of schedule. Shell posted profits of $4.5 billion (£2.9 billion) – a rise of 94% on the $2.3 billion reported a year ago. The Anglo-Dutch firm, which is Britain’s second largest oil company, has undergone a [...]

BA makes new offer to cabin crew to prevent further strike action

BA makes new offer to cabin crew to prevent further strike action

The Unite union last week announced plans to ballot its 12,000 cabin crew members on Tuesday, however, it will now be postponed following an offer from British Airways (BA). So far, cabin crews have held 22 days of strikes after being involved in a long-running dispute with the airline over cost-cutting measures, which include a [...]

BA and union talks collapse again

BA and union talks collapse again

The latest meeting between British Airways (BA) and the Unite union, designed to come to an agreement about strike action has yet again failed, according to the ACAS conciliation service. The fresh talks came a week after the union, which represents BA cabin crew, confirmed a fresh ballot for its members, suggesting further industrial action [...]

BA cabin crew prepare for new strike ballot

BA cabin crew prepare for new strike ballot

The Unite union, which represents British Airways (BA) cabin crew, has confirmed a fresh ballot for its members, suggesting further industrial action at the airline. The news comes as cabin crew stage their final day of a series of strikes. The strikes took place on: 24-28 May, 30 May-3 June and 5-9 June. The fresh [...]

BA union Unite threaten summer of strikes

BA union Unite threaten summer of strikes

On Monday night, it was announced that British Airways (BA) was successful in preventing the latest series of strikes by its cabin crew staff. Mr Justice McCombe of the High Court ruled in favour of the airline and said the decision was based on a technicality. However, the Unite union described the decision “an absolute [...]

Possible strike action at BA as talks fail

Possible strike action at BA as talks fail

Talks aimed at averting industrial action at British Airways (BA) have collapsed and failed to reach an agreement. Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said: “Despite a prolonged period of negotiations it has not been possible to reach agreement between BA and Unite.” Last month, BA‘s 12,000 cabin crew members voted to [...]

BA in talks with union to avert strikes

BA in talks with union to avert strikes

British Airways (BA) is to resume talks with the Unite union about averting industrial action. BA‘s 12,000 cabin crew members have vowed to take industrial action over cost-cutting measures, which include a pay freeze and a switch to part-time working for thousands of staff. Cabin crew members were scheduled to take 12 days of strike [...]

BA cabin crew vote in favour of strike action

BA cabin crew vote in favour of strike action

British Airways (BA) passengers will face travel chaos after the airline’s 12,000 cabin crew members voted in favour to take industrial action over cost-cutting measures, which include a pay freeze, a switch to part-time working for thousands of staff and working conditions. The results of the strike emerged this evening after Len McCluskey, assistant general [...]

BA strike ballot result due today

BA strike ballot result due today

Fears of travel chaos could emerge later as the results of a ballot is set to be announced. A second strike ballot for British Airways (BA) 12,000 cabin crew members is to close today after they vowed to take industrial action over cost-cutting measures, which include a pay freeze and a switch to part-time working [...]

Unite fails in High Court bid over BA proposed cuts

Unite fails in High Court bid over BA proposed cuts

The Unite union has been unsuccessful in its High Court action against British Airways (BA) to stop the airline from imposing cost-cutting measures. The union claimed it was not properly consulted on the measures, which include a pay freeze and a switch to part-time working for 3,000 staff. BA cabin crew had been set to [...]