BTG

Last week’s Budget introduces new cost pressures for low-wage sectors through higher employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs), resulting in a disproportionate tax increase for employers of low-paid workers. Businesses will be unable to fully recoup these costs over time by squeezing wages, due to the coming rise in the National Living Wage (NLW).

Rock band Limp Bizkit’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) is a high-profile, decades-long contractual dispute that alleges deliberate royalty concealment, financial mismanagement, fraud and breach of contract by one of the world’s largest record labels.

632,756 UK businesses are in ‘significant’ financial distress, up 5.1% on the prior quarter (Q2 2024: 601,950) and 32.3% higher than Q3 2023 (478,176)

The Restructuring Round Up dives into the world of corporate restructuring. Join our panel of experts as we explore the latest trends, challenges and strategies across diverse sectors. With in-depth discussions featuring industry experts, professional leaders and business advisors.

Key players in construction gathered for an important debate, sponsored by The Save Construction Initiative and Begbies Traynor Group and hosted by Watson Farley & Williams, exploring what can be done to tackle the industry’s mounting insolvency crisis and to disrupt the payment culture at the heart of it. 

The UK care home sector is undergoing a challenging modernisation to meet rising demand for an ageing population, increase specialist care facilities and improve service delivery amid declining public funding and strict regulatory scrutiny.

At the heart of the dispute is whether Mbappé was entitled to leave PSG on a free transfer at the end of his contract. Despite a record-breaking contract offer in 2022, unmet expectations regarding signings and miscommunication about contract terms eroded trust.

Volatility rippled through global markets at a breakneck speed in early August. An unexpected Bank of Japan (BOJ) interest rate hike on 31 July sparked an 8% rally against the dollar, triggering an unwinding of the yen-funded “carry trade”, where investors borrow interest-free in yen to invest in high-yielding assets globally.

The global aviation industry is set for record revenues, passengers and expenses in 2024, underscoring a fragile profitability amidst ongoing political, economic, supply chain and geopolitical risks.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) cleared the path for the eventual launch of the US exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest directly in ether tokens, the second-largest cryptocurrency, marking another significant milestone for the industry.

The UK manufacturing sector is indicating signs of a recovery, driven by increased domestic demand that has boosted output and new orders.

This explanatory overview is for business people contractually drawn into a required expert determination procedure for commercial disputes but who are unfamiliar with the process. Caveats apply (see below).

A serialised guide to some concepts and features encountered in the world of offshore insolvency......