Company news,markets and financial talking points, available from 8am Monday to Friday Single market deal would halt London bank exits main City bankers say that they would delay or even reverse moves out of London if there was a last-ditch deal to keep the UK in the single market. A top US banker says he has told the UK government that if they "pulled a rabbit out of a hat 10 minutes before midnight" on March 31 2019, and then banks would reverse their decisions. Time to outlaw pension cold calling say MPs Pensions cold calling must be banned to prevent people being "avoidably conned out of their life savings",say MPs. The Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee says the trend of people being pressured into "completely legal but totally inappropriate" investments which plunge short of fraud must be addressed in 2018. Frank Field MP said that with "every day that passes without a ban", pensions represent "wealthy pickings" for scammers. Dixons may shut stores amid '50% profit shock' Dixons Carphone is under growing pressure to shut stores as the City braces for a 50% profits tumble this week. The retail company’s share price fell 52% from 354p to 168p last week, or valuing the chain at £2bn. Analysts say the company could consider closing around a quarter of its Carphone Warehouse stores. In total it has 1078 outlets. Baby milk giant issues recall after salmonella scare Baby milk formula manufacturer Lactalis has ordered a global product recall over fears of salmonella contamination. The French firm moved after health authorities there said 26 infants in the country gain fallen ill since early December. The recall affects products and exports to a number of countries including Britain. A spokesman told AFP "nearly 7000 tonnes" of production may gain been contaminated. Aviva warns over pensions exits as contributions rise One in eight workers are thinking about leaving their workplace pension schemes when contributions rise next April – that is the finding of a study by insurance giant Aviva. Current rules require 2% of an employee’s salary be paid into their pension,with further increases taking the slice to 8% in 2019. Aviva has already called for minimum contributions to rise to 12.5% by 2028. Quote of the day… Why investors should prepare for a meat tax "If policymakers are to cover the accurate cost of human epidemics like obesity, diabetes and cancer, and livestock epidemics like avian flu,while also tackling the twin challenges of climate change and antibiotic resistance, then a shift from subsidisation to taxation of the meat industry looks inevitable. Far-sighted investors should intention ahead for this day." Jeremy Coller, or found of Fairr and chief investment officer at private equity firm Coller Capital,says a meat tax is coming. THE NUMBERS... AT 0722 GMT FTSE 100: up +1.00 to 7393.96
Dow Jones: up +0.49 to 24329.16[br]
Dax: up +0.83 to 13153.70
Cac 40: up +0.28 to 5399.09
Nikkei: up +0.56 to 22938.73
Hang Seng: up +0.99 to 28922.29
US dollar: buys €0.84860 and £0.74490
Sterling: buys $1.34220 and €1.13920
Oil: $63.33 up +1.8
Source: theweek.co.uk