Monday newspaper round-up: Aviva, British grocers, BBC

Activist investors are thought to be turning their attention to a potential break-up of Aviva after its chief executive refused to pursue a radical split of the business. Maurice Tulloch, 50, who became head of the FTSE 100 insurer in March, has pushed through a strategy to run its life and general insurance businesses separately, reversing his predecessor’s attempts to integrate the two and cross-sell products. However, the City had been hoping for a more dramatic break-up. - The Times

Britain's largest grocers are cutting prices to the bone in a tense festive stand-off with shoppers that has left stores facing a Christmas ‘bloodbath’. Food industry sources said sales at major supermarket chains, which have been poor for weeks, have crashed in the past ten days and left many stores struggling to match last year’s festive period. - The Daily Mail

The BBC director-general has rejected all claims of bias in its election coverage, insisting that the corporation has the public's trust. Lord Hall of Birkenhead said that provoking the ire of both the Conservative and Labour parties proved that the BBC is impartial. In his first public riposte to accusations of political bias, Lord Hall said the BBC remains "the envy of the world". - The Daily Telegraph

Boris Johnson's newly won supporters are demanding that he protect workers’ rights and put an end to zero-hours contracts, according to a survey by the Trades Union Congress. Blue-collar voters in Labour heartlands, especially in northern England, helped the Conservatives to sweep to victory this month. The TUC found that the majority of workers, including those who recently switched from Labour to the Tories, wanted the same level of protection guaranteed by the European Union, a £10 minimum wage and higher tax rates for top earners. - The Times

Business confidence in the British economy has leaped to its highest level for more than three years following the Conservatives’ election win, according to a survey of company directors from the Institute of Directors. For the first time since spring 2018, firms have become optimistic about the economic outlook, with a key confidence measure swinging into positive territory and hitting 21% in December, up from -18% in November. - The Guardian