BUSINESS EXTRA Green hydrogen

Front runners

JD SPORTS expect profits of £1 billion (€1.15 billion) this year as it expands into the US and Europe, foreseeing a continuing trend for trainers and sports leisurewear. Re gis Schultz, chief executive, said that JD’s young shoppers had more work opportunities, enabling them to “buy the gear they love.”

Cigarette break

SMOKING has been banned in all Spanish workplaces since 2011, but a study by the Jobatus employment agency found that each employee who smokes spends an average of 16 minutes a day smoking outside. This costs companies a yearly total of €26 billion, the agency calculated.

Damage done

FORMER CBI president and outgoing Tesco chairman John Allan will also step down as chair of housebuilder Barratt Developments on June 30. The latter company announced that Allan was resigning to prevent allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ against him from becoming ‘disruptive’ to the company.

Opposing views

SPAIN has 140,000 unfilled jobs, the highest proportion in its history, and eight out of 10 companies cannot cover vacancies, according to professional services company KPMG. Meanwhile, the unions claim that with a 13 per cent unemployment rate, three million people were unable to find work.

Oil recoil

REPRESENTATIVES from Trinity and Jesus colleges in Cambridge and the Universities of Newcastle, Sussex and Bristol have written an open letter to the asset management industry. All are calling for ‘bold action’ on their part to rebel against the boards of fossil fuel companies and their backers.

Linda Hall

EU red tape on wine will unlock £180 million (€206.9 million) and give the UK’s wine industry the freedom to flourish.

SCRAPPING