Sunday newspaper round-up: Zero Covid, British Airways, Rolls Royce
Protests against the government's zero-Covid strategy are spreading from Shanghai to other Chinese cities such as Guangzhou, Wuhan and Xi'an. Videos of the protests on social media, including some showing clashes with police and people chanting anti-government slogans, were taken down. In Urumqi, most of the city had been under lockdown for over three months, although lockdowns were lifted in some neighbourhoods on Saturday. China reported 39,506 cases of Covid-9 on Sunday, a record level, but small when compared to the levels recorded at the height of the pandemic in the West. - The Sunday Times
Associated British Foods
2,042.00p
16:49 03/06/25
Domino's Pizza Group
258.80p
16:35 03/06/25
Food Producers & Processors
7,594.33
16:49 03/06/25
FTSE 100
8,785.47
16:30 03/06/25
FTSE 250
21,017.78
16:49 03/06/25
FTSE 350
4,816.29
16:49 03/06/25
FTSE All-Share
4,766.13
16:50 03/06/25
General Retailers
4,526.00
16:49 03/06/25
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI)
334.20p
16:53 03/06/25
Next
12,910.00p
16:45 03/06/25
Travel & Leisure
8,864.97
16:49 03/06/25
British Airways will nearly double its operations out of Gatwick as a result of the ongoing dispute with Heathrow. The carrier was understood to be planning to increase the number of jets based at Gatwick from 14 to between 24-28 over the next few years. Heathrow was forced to limit the number of passengers flying out of the airport to avoid a repeat of the chaos seen at many airports since Easter. It was also pressing the aviation regulator to boost landing charges, the cost of which are then passed on to passengers. - The Sunday Telegraph
Chemicals outfit Ineos has held talks with Rolls Royce regarding use of the engineer's nuclear power technology to supply the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland with zero-carbon energy. More specifically, Rolls Royce's small modular reactors would provide the electricity needed to generate green hydrogen fuel for the refinery. The talks nevertheless were said to be at an early stage and no commercials had yet been discussed. - Guardian
Domino's Pizza Group's boss Elias Diaz said sales during the World Cup are running far ahead of expectations, vindicating the pizza chain's decision to hire an extra 10,000 staff over the preceding two months. Nonetheless, Diaz conceded that the cost of living crisis was "obviously a real concern", but added that the company's value credentials would help it overcome the economic slump. He also pointed out how Domino's long-term relationships with suppliers had allowed it to limit price rises. - Financial Mail on Sunday
Industry experts and store executives say that retail chains have been caught between fast rising costs and softer than expected demand which may lead to a string of casualties over Christmas as shoppers face increases in their food and energy bills. Fashion retailers had been especially hard hit as they had also had to cope with warmer than normal temperatures. On the flip side, shoppers had flocked to town centres and retail parks after the pandemic eased. According to one retail director, the outfits that would do well were Primark, Aldi, Lidl and probably Next. - Financial Mail on Sunday