wakeup | Common News Update

Dec302020 by adminNo Comments

Europe’s digital banks got a ‘wake-up call’ in 2020. And consolidation could be coming

Finance

The icons for the Monzo and Starling Bank banking apps on a smartphone.Adrian Dennis | AFP via Getty ImagesLONDON — In a year when online banking has taken off, you'd think it would be a golden opportunity for Europe's digital challenger banks to shine.Research from Mastercard last month found that 42% of Europeans handle their finances digitally more frequently than they did before the coronavirus pandemic, while 62% are thinking of switching from physical banking to digital platforms altogether.But many of the so-called "neobanks" have stumbled in 2020, with the likes of Monzo and Revolut revealing deepening losses and getting hit with a multitude of complaints from customers about service.Monzo, whose founder Tom Blomfield stepped down as CEO earlier this year, caused concern after flag...

Plastic pollution: Snowdon research is a ‘wake-up call’

Science

The discovery of microplastic pollution near the top of the highest mountain in Wales is a "scary wake-up call", environmentalists have said.Traces of plastic have been found in samples collected from Llyn Glaslyn - a remote lake near the summit of Snowdon.The tiny particles are "most likely" to have been deposited by rain, wetland science expert Dr Christian Dunn said. A teacher who gathered the samples will now visit all the UK's 15 national parks to learn more.Activist Laura Sanderson swam 16 miles (26km) from the source of River Glaslyn - 2,000ft (610m) above sea level - to the sea, last April, collecting water samples along the way.Results showed an average of three pieces of microplastic per litre from the lake made famous...

Market shocks should be a wake-up call for investors: Advisors

Finance

A period of very calm and quiet trading has lulled investors into a sense of complacency that, by some measures, has not been seen in years, according to some financial advisors.The recent sharp movements in markets have been a wake-up call for complacent investors, experts say. From February 2016-January 2018, volatility in the stock market was non-existent. Then, volatility came roaring back in February, as investors aggressively sold stocks after an incredible run. And now, some investors are concerned that the recent sell-off on Wall Street might get much worse and eventually that could trigger a recession.While many financial experts believe the current sell-off in the global markets is a "minor correction," some pundits see the increased possibility of another recession in the United...