ASOS plc (LON:ASC) has become the latest firm to buck the Brexit jitters after it unveiled plans to hire another 1,500 staff at its London headquarters over the next three years.
The online fashion store already employs around 2,500 people at its site in Camden, north London, but said it is looking to add more specialists in technology, marketing, content and retail.
To house all of the new additions, the group is taking another 40,000 sq. ft. in the building near Mornington Crescent tube station, and will invest around £40mln to fund the expansion.
The move follows in the footsteps of tech giants Facebook and Google, which both plan to increase their presence in the UK despite fears that Brexit would make the country less appealing to larger firms.
Online retailer, ASOS, to add 1,500 employees over next three years. The curse of #brexit, again?@BBCr4today @afneil @SkyNews @KayBurley
— Tom O'Brien (@obritom) December 12, 2016
M25 going round in circles
Consultancy group Atkins WS (LON:ATK) has become the latest stakeholder to cash in on the M25, selling its 10% interest in the London Orbital motorway for a shade over £66mln.
The company has signed a deal with Edge Orbital, a consortium of institutional investors, which it hopes will be completed before the end of the current financial year.
Back in October, construction giant Skansa sold its 40% share of the project to a consortium for £265mln, and there are reports that Balfour Beatty plc (LON:BBY) is looking to do the same with its 40% stake.
Say goodbye to Boxing Day shopping (maybe)
A controversial proposal to ban shops from opening on Boxing Day is to be debated in the Commons today after an online petition attracted hundreds of thousands of signatures.
Unless Boxing Day falls on a Sunday, there are currently no controls on trading hours, but campaigners claim that workers need more rest.
The government has said in the past that it wouldn’t interfere with retailers by telling them “how to run their shops”, especially given that the day after Christmas is one of the busiest in the shopping calendar with many sales starting.
The issue will be up for formal debate later on this evening, but it’s already caused heated disagreements on social media.