Thursday newspaper round-up: MWC, UK house prices, Bombardier
The world’s largest mobile phone trade fair, Mobile World Congress, has been cancelled after scores of the world’s biggest technology and telecommunications companies pulled out over fears of the spread of the coronavirus. The MWC, which was due to be held in Barcelona on 24 February, was expecting more than 100,000 delegates from about 200 countries across the four days of the conference. – Guardian
House prices rose across the UK for the first time in one and a half years last month as optimism returned among buyers and sellers, according to surveyors and estate agents. In further evidence that the housing market is picking up, inquiries from would-be buyers, agreed sales and the number of properties coming on to the market all rose in January, according to the latest monthly snapshot from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics). – Guardian
A Treasury raid on pension tax relief could deepen the savings crisis among Britain’s five million self-employed workers, industry leaders have warned. Sajid Javid will put thousands of sole traders and small business owners off building up a retirement pot if he presses ahead with the scheme, experts said. The Chancellor is considering a 20pc charge on pension contributions made by those earning over £50,000 a year in next month's Budget. – Telegraph
Bombardier has been accused of exploiting its suppliers by the payment watchdog. The small business commissioner said that the British division of the manufacturer had mistreated companies for at least the past two years by failing to settle invoices on time. Bombardier’s conduct was described as shocking by the Federation of Small Businesses which said that the company had a “damning rap sheet of persistent and harmful late” paynments and non payments. – The Times
Brussels’ equivalence regime for financial market access will not work if regulators end up in a “punch-up” every time Britain changes its banking rules, the incoming Bank of England governor has warned. Andrew Bailey, who takes over from Mark Carney on March 16, said that the regimes will diverge and developing a “framework that allows that to happen” will be key to a collaborative future relationship with the EU. – The Times