1. L&G wins biggest ever UK pensions de-risking deal from Boots
Legal & General has won a £4.8 billion buy-in of the 53,000-member Boots Pension Scheme, the UK’s largest-ever 'bulk annuity' deal.
2. Labdrokes owner Entain to pay out over £0.6bn after bribery ruling
The owner of Coral and Foxy Bing today agreed to pay a financial penalty plus disgorgement of profits totalling £585 million, plus a charitable donation of £20 million and cost contribution of £10 million relating to bribery charges for its former Turkish business.
3. Barclays eyeing 2000 job cuts
Barclays is reported to be drawing up restructuring plans that could involve axing as many as 2,000 jobs in a £1 billion cost-cutting drive to try and boost profits.
4. FTSE 100 stocks flat as consumer confidence uptick lifts pound
London's blue-chips finished flat at 7,488, under pressure earlier as the pound ticked up, along with bond yields, after better-than-expected consumer confidence figures.
5. Cider vs cider: Aldi taken to court over brand infringement
Cider-maker Thatchers and Aldi are locked in a High Court dispute after the brewer alleged the discount retailer had infringed on its Cloudy Lemon Cider trademark – not the first time one of the discounters has been in trouble over such infringements.
And one for luck: The week ahead
Company results keep coming in the week ahead, including easyJet, Dr Martens, Halfords, Pets at Home and CVS Group (AIM:CVSG), plus lots of small caps and macro data.