Thursday newspaper round-up: Cash, ARM, EY
Households could save up to £400 a year on energy bills under a new means-tested scheme to insulate more than 300,000 of Great Britain’s draughtiest homes. The government is spending £1bn on grants for homes that have low energy efficiency ratings and are in lower council tax bands. – Guardian
Cash has mounted a comeback in the UK, with payments made using notes and coins increasing for the first time in a decade, data shows. Cash use has been in long-term decline, but the banking body UK Finance said the cost of living crisis had prompted many people to turn back to “tangible” physical money to help them manage their budgets. – Guardian
The British microchip company Arm has priced its New York IPO at $51 a share, giving it a valuation of more than $52bn (£42bn) ahead of its Wall Street debut on Thursday. The pricing, confirmed by Arm on Wednesday evening, is at the top of the $47 to $51 range Arm had said last week, suggesting strong demand from investors. Telegraph
Ethical investment standards risk undermining Britain’s defence industry and the wider economy, Grant Shapps has claimed. The defence secretary said that companies in the defence industry were being “excluded from access to debt and equity capital, citing environmental, social and governance [ESG] grounds. – The Times
Despite the chaos caused by its failed break-up plan, EY’s global army of accountants and advisers made more money than ever before over the past year. The Big Four firm and its moves to split itself into separate audit and consulting businesses have dominated the industry for the past 18 months. – The Times