Current Affairs
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Aug- 2020 -6 August
Birmingham Jewellery Quarter clock to be removed for restoration work
The historic Chamberlain Clock in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is set to be removed so it can undergo an “extensive” restoration process. Later this month, the process will begin to dismantle and remove the Chamberlain Clock from its current home on the roundabout junction of Warstone Lane and Vyse Street in…
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Jul- 2020 -27 July
Price of gold reaches ‘record’ high
The price of gold reached a “record high” of $1,943 (£1,513) per ounce this morning (27 July), amid increasing tensions in the US and China trade row. The price rise of 2.2% saw gold overtake its previous record that was recorded in the wake of Black Monday in September 2011.…
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Jun- 2020 -30 June
Government confirms changes to ‘flexible’ furlough scheme
The UK government has confirmed the latest set of changes to its “flexible” furlough scheme – dubbed CJRS V2 – ahead of its launch of the 1 July. HM Revenue and Customs has set out the new guidance as the current version of the Coronavirus Job retention Scheme (CJRS) ends…
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12 June
UK GDP slumps over 20% in April as full impact of Covid-19 is felt
GDP slumped by 20.4% in April 2020, following a fall of 5.8% in March, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is the biggest monthly fall since the ONS’ series began in 1997, with the measure also falling by 10.4% in the three months…
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Mar- 2020 -24 March
Birmingham Assay Office closes operations
The Birmingham Assay Office has announced that it will be “closing all operations” from today (24 March) for the three weeks stipulated by the government. The office said that the decision came in light of the Prime Minister’s lockdown announcement on Monday evening, and said that the move would “protect…
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20 March
Covid-19: Government to pay 80% of salary to staff unable to work
Chancellor Sunak Rishi has said the government will pay 80% of wages for employees who aren’t able to work due to the coronavirus, up to £2,500 a month according to the BBC. The “unprecedented measure” comes as the government has unveiled more plans to protect jobs and businesses amid the…
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18 March
Pandora withdraws financial guidance
Jewellery group Pandora has announced the withdrawal of its financial guidance as it is “no longer meaningful” in light of the coronavirus escalation. The group said that such mitigating actions came under “extraordinary and rapidly developing” circumstances, and that its financial guidance announced on 4 February excluded “any impact” from…
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10 March
Calls for ‘discretionary business rates relief’ amid Coronavirus outbreak
Colliers International has called on the UK Government to consider and to fund a system of “discretionary rate relief” for businesses impacted by the Coronavirus. The commercial real estate company said this is one of the measures that could “alleviate business pain” in this week’s Budget. It added that against…
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4 March
Pandora slashes 180 jobs in restructuring bid
Pandora announced it is to slash 180 jobs “as a consequence of strategic reorganisation”. The news came as the jewellery group detailed its next steps for restructuring programme, Programme NOW. In its latest update, the group said it would close three regional organisations, thereby “eliminating an organisational layer” between global…
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Feb- 2020 -4 February
Hong Kong jewellery shows postponed amid coronavirus fears
Organisers of two Hong Kong jewellery shows, The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), have confirmed that the upcoming shows will be postponed following the recent outbreak of coronavirus in China. The HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem and Pearl Show and the HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show were…
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