Business

Image copyright Getty Images Tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis as restaurants, bars, hotels and gyms have been forced to close. But many companies still in business are urgently seeking more staff to meet orders, help with deliveries and just to keep things moving. The major supermarkets […]

Image copyright Getty Images Motorists worried about getting an MOT because of the coronavirus crisis, have been handed a six-month reprieve. The government has granted car owners a six-month exemption from MOT testing. However, it won’t come in until Monday 30 March which means vehicles due an MOT before then must still take it. The

Image copyright Getty Images A growing number of construction companies have said they will stop all non-essential work to help fight the coronavirus, but others continue to operate amid confusion over the government’s advice. Housebuilder Persimmon has joined others in pledging to down tools, while most work has stopped on HS2 rail. But FTSE 250

Image copyright Getty Images Bicycle and car parts retailer Halfords has defended its decision to keep shops open amid the coronavirus pandemic. Its autocentre garages and mobile vans remain open, with plans for “partial store coverage” across its 446 shops. Its boss Graham Stapleton said that the chain had “an essential role to play in

Image copyright Sterling Caviar Image caption More caviar might have to come from farmed sturgeon Overfishing has depleted numbers of wild fish, and fish farms meet much of the growing demand. Could we one day be eating “fish” grown from cells in a factory, as a number of start-ups are planning? “Caviar is no longer

Image copyright Getty Images Sportswear firm Nike has seen online sales rise by more than 30% as it rides out its coronavirus store shutdowns. The US firm has shut the majority of its stores globally, but says 80% have now reopened in China. “We expect the next several weeks to be a challenging period,” said

Image copyright Getty Images Shares in Asia have continued a global rally, as stock markets bounce back from major losses in recent days. Expectations are growing that US lawmakers are close to agreeing an almost $2tn plan to ease the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw

Image copyright Getty Images Facebook has seen usage across its platforms surge in countries that have brought in virus lockdowns. Italy – with some of the toughest restrictions – has seen the biggest rise, with group video calls rocketing by more than 1000% in the last month. The social media giant said total messaging traffic

As the coronavirus pandemic escalated into a crisis in the United States nearly two weeks ago, utility giant FirstEnergy Corp. announced a policy to stop disconnecting service to the millions of homes it serves from Ohio to New York.  That pledge came with a big asterisk.  The company, one of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities

Image copyright Getty Images Offices, factories and schools across the UK have shut to manage the spread of the coronavirus. And with the government now telling the nation to “stay at home”, millions are logging on to work and keep themselves entertained during the lockdown. But that has put pressure on broadband providers, with BT’s