Trade row in Northern Ireland

The 1-minute read to get the money news you need.

Trouble at the ports

The UK and EU are in a fresh round of trade talks, after tension over post-Brexit checks at Northern Irish ports. Goods entering Northern Ireland from mainland Britain have to be checked on entry, because Northern Ireland is still in the EU single market. That’s led to delays - and now threats against the staff carrying out the checks. It’s those threats that have prompted the talks between officials.

Cheaper homes near stations

Price tags on London homes near a tube station have dropped, as buyers rethink the importance of a snappy commute. The shift to remote working during the pandemic has meant 38% of London homebuyers no longer think it’s important to live near the tube, according to an estate agent. The result? A 2% drop in house prices near stations.

We’re Amazon’s favourite

The UK is Amazon’s hottest market right now, with 2020 sales growth here outstripping any other region*. Last year, we spent a total of £19.3 billion on Amazon - that’s £290 for every man, woman, and child. The spending spree saw the company’s revenues soar by 51% in the UK.

Charging to get into gear?

Oil companies should install chargers for electric cars in all of their petrol stations by 2023, according to think tank Bright Blue. Better coverage of charging stations across the network would help to speed up the rollout of electric cars. The report also calls for higher grants to encourage people to buy the more expensive battery-powered cars.