Sterling scared of hard Brexit?

Get straight to the good stuff every day with the Multiply Minute; a lightning-quick round-up of the money news and how it affects you.

Sterling sinks

The pound was down against the dollar yesterday, thanks to a speech by Boris Johnson that kicked off trade negotiations between the UK and the EU. He doesn’t want the UK to be aligned with European rules, and will instead seek a looser, tariff-free trade agreement.

Electric cars only

The ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars will be brought forward by five years to 2035. Its poster boy? Sir David Attenborough. The national treasure has publicly backed the move, which signals the start of a climate-focused year leading up to COP26, a United Nations summit on the issue which will be held in Glasgow in November.

Alphabet shares slide

Alphabet has seen its share price fall (paywall) after revealing slower growth than it expected for the end of last year. But don’t feel too sorry for Google’s parent company. Last month it became the fifth public company ever to reach a valuation of more than $1 trillion.

Where’s the talent at?

Businesses are struggling to recruit skilled workers and it's holding them back from growing as fast as they could. According to a new report by the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), 72% of companies said they had difficulties finding the right people in 2019. If you’re looking for work, quick FYI: construction and hospitality are the two sectors with the biggest skills gaps.

Canteen thief trader suspended

Paras Shah, a senior trader at Citigroup, has been suspended by the bank after allegedly stealing food from the staff canteen. He recently got promoted and was probably on a six-figure salary, so it’s sure to leave a bitter taste.