THE DAILY BRIEFING

ELECTRIC SWOOP

French oil and gas giant Total has snapped up French electric car charging network G2mobility, giving it control of around 10,000 charging points amid rising demand for electric cars.

STORES TAKEOVER

Poundland is taking over 20 former Poundworld stores, creating 400 jobs. Poundworld collapsed in June, resulting in the closure of all 335 shops and the loss of 5,000 jobs.

RISKY UK

Billionaire trader Howard Marks, 72, has said the UK is too risky to invest in due to Brexit. The American founder of Oaktree

Capital Management, who made his fortune by snapping up cheap assets in economic downturns, said there could be huge market swings if Britain leaves without a deal.

JUMPING JACK’S

Hundreds of shoppers queued up as Tesco’s first new Jack’s discount stores opened in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, and Immingham, Lincolnshire.

ICELAND FIRST

Craft brewer Brewdog has opened its first bar in Iceland, and saw sales soar 55pc to £78m in the six months to June 30.

EGYPT BUY

Oil and gas explorer Soco International is buying Egyptian rival Merlon for £190m, as it looks to build its business in the country.

SECOND PLACE

Wall Street titan Goldman Sachs has overtaken Citigroup as the world’s second-largest investment bank. JP Morgan is in top spot.

WELL CHUFFED

North Sea focused Jersey Oil and Gas is very excited about prospects of its Verbier well, set to be drilled this year.

PUBS BONANZA

Sales at pub chain City Pub Group rose 24pc to £20m in the 26 weeks to July 1 after opening nine pubs. It swung to a £931,857 profit from a £78,186 loss.

FINANCE ROLE

Retirement firm Saga has poached insurance executive James Quin, 49, as its finance chief. He is the chief financial officer at Zurich Insurance Group.

PENSION BOOST

More workers are saving for retirement following auto-enrolment. The Pensions Regulator said 84pc save into a workplace pension, up from 77pc.