Tuesday newspaper round-up: Unemployment benefits, stamp duty cut, restaurants, Boohoo

The number of people claiming unemployment benefits per job vacancy in Britain has increased fivefold since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an employment thinktank. The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) said approximately eight people are claiming benefits support for every job opening, up from 1.5 people per job before the crisis began in March. – Guardian

The government’s stamp duty cut to reboot Britain’s virus-stricken property market has benefited London most and had little impact elsewhere so far, according to Zoopla. In a reflection of the disproportionate benefit for wealthier buyers, the property website said that agreed house sales in the capital jumped by 27% in the first two weeks of the stamp duty holiday. – Guardian

Restaurants have warned they could be crippled by a Whitehall push for mandatory calorie labels on menus as the hospitality industry battles for survival. Pub and restaurant bosses said the plans could deal a fresh hammer blow to the beleaguered industry as it emerged that hospitality outlets lost close to £30bn in sales during the second quarter of 2020. – Telegraph

The City regulator has been criticised for a lack of enforcement action over misleading financial promotions despite a spate of scandals which cost ordinary investors hundreds of millions of pounds. The Financial Conduct Authority did not prosecute any authorised firm or individual over errant financial promotions between 2013 and 2019 and fined only three groups of authorised firms and individuals, according to a freedom of information request. – The Times

Investors who bought Boohoo shares because of its high ethical ratings missed a “clear red flag” that should have alerted them to problems in its supply chain, a leading City broker says. In a highly critical research note, Liberum said some of the fast-fashion group’s institutional investors should have queried limited disclosures on the sources of its cut-price clothing. – The Times