Many had been worried BP would have to cut or axe the payout after oil prices began tanking in late January. But the energy giant has raised the amount it will give to shareholders.

Firms are accusing each other of 'profiteering' from the pandemic. An estate agency in the Lake District sparked a debate after it said it had completed a viewing on a £1.25m home.

It is thought that the brand, founded by make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury, 47, (pictured to the right of human rights lawyer Amal Clooney) could fetch more than £1bn.

The FTSE 100 index rose 156.75 points to 6115.25, closing above the 6000 mark for the first time since early March, despite data showing the US economy shrank 4.8 per cent in the first quarter.

Amazon is expected to report profits of more than £7500 a second, meaning founder Jeff Bezos (pictured with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez) has added billions of dollars to his personal fortune.

Shareholders are to receive around a two-thirds cut in their dividend payments covering the last three months of 2019, from 47 cents per share to 16 cents.

Last year Shell was the most generous dividend payer in the UK, handing pension funds and investors £11.6bn.That amounted to 15.5 per cent of all payments made by FTSE 100 firms.

Just days after British Airways warned of 12,000 job cuts, business only expect to recover slowly as workers and consumers stay home and social distancing measures are put in place.

The billionaire, 48, made the comment yesterday in a string of tweets that also saw him reveal he was selling all of his possessions and demand that authorities give people back 'their freedom'.

The fast food business's 1,350 restaurants have been closed since the Government brought in lockdown measures in March due to concerns over staff and customer safety.

The Cambridge-based software firm will create a 'strategy' title based on the hugely successful fantasy series that will be released on computer and game consoles such as Xbox and Playstation.

Deloitte's survey of 104 finance chiefs found that 84 per cent were less optimistic about prospects, compared with 47 per cent three months ago - the survey's biggest drop in confidence on record.

More than 300 listed companies have cut or cancelled payouts as they battle to survive. It is now feared that total dividend payments will fall from £98.5 billion last year to just £47.2 billion this year.

Virgin blamed the 'severe impact' of coronavirus, which has prompted travel restrictions and forced airlines to ground fleets, and it comes just days after BA said it could also leave.

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme is looking at claims from 12,000 savers who bought so-called mini bonds from LCF and were left high and dry when the company collapsed.

Vue boss Tim Richards is 'hopeful' that venues can be open in time for the release date of Nolan's new film, Tenet (starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, pictured) on July 17.

Just hours after the online grocer revealed sales have jumped more than 40 per cent in the last five weeks, it emerged that 29.7 per cent of investors had voted against top pay at the company.

Chief executive Philip Jansen, who recently recovered from Covid-19, said a new target of full fibre to 20 million homes by the mid to late 2020s is now in place.

FTSE 100 closed up 1.4 per cent or 82.22 points at 5,935.98 and the pound was at $1.23 against the dollar.

Does it really make sense for pensioners who, directly or indirectly, rely on their income from dividends to have those incomes further cut by Bank of England diktat?

What does the terrible economic data tell us about what shape the recovery will have? And is it too late for too many companies?

Under chief exec Charles Woodburn, 49, BAE Systems is fighting a very different war against the deadly coronavirus and is turning its formidable engineering expertise to helping the NHS.

Chief exec Philip Jansen (pictured) said the company now aims to offer fibre to 4.5m homes and businesses by next March and 20m by the mid to late-2020s, up from a previous target of 15m..

In a sign of the devastating impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on business, the unemployment rate in the world's largest economy hit 14.7 per cent last month.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak was forced to rethink the Government's original coronavirus Loan Scheme after thousands of small businesses warned they would go bust without quick access to cash.

Alexis Sanchez agreed to a new Arsenal contract before staging a last minute U-turn, according to the club's former transfer negotiator Dick Law.

With Manchester United's pre-season in full flow, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez have been enjoying their time away from the preparations as they shared a laugh at Carrington.

United failed to replace Lukaku before Thursday's transfer deadline, but Solskjaer believes his departure will benefit Mason Greenwood and the more fluid forward line he wants in his team.

Alexis Sanchez was apparently left fuming after clashing with youngster Mason Greenwood while on Manchester United's pre-season tour. Sanchez is currently recovering from a hamstring injury.

Alexis Sanchez wants a Manchester United escape over the next fortnight in pursuit of first-team football. He has made just four Premier League starts since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Alexis Sanchez was indulged too long. That has always been the problem for Manchester United. Not that they started it.

Sanchez moved to Old Trafford in a swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan in January 2018 after beating Manchester City to the forward's signature. But he has endured a torrid time, scoring just twice last term

Romelu Lukaku has been bombarding former Manchester United team-mate Alexis Sanchez with messages to convince him to join Inter Milan. He told the Chilean Italy is more beautiful than Manchester.

ALVISE CAGNAZZO IN ITALY: Romelu Lukaku was one of the key players in bringing Alexis Sanchez to Milan this summer, after begging his former Manchester United team-mate to make the move.

JACK GAUGHAN: Greenwood, 17, is banging in goals at Carrington, leaving an impression on his team-mates and indicating exactly why Solskjaer let two experienced strikers leave.

MARTIN KEOWN discusses Alexis Sanchez, David Luiz, prospects for Sunday's north London derby and the latest England squad in his latest Q&A with the fans.

Sanchez, 30, has endured a torrid spell in Manchester since joining the United from Arsenal 18 months ago, netting three times in 32 appearances for the club.

Alexis Sanchez has broken his silence over his sorry spell at Manchester United. The Chilean, United's highest paid player on £560,000, only managed to scored five times in 45 games.

Arsenal offloaded Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Roma to take the amount shifted off their wage bill this summer to more than £46million-a-year.

Mkhitaryan moved to Roma on loan from Arsenal on Monday, joining Sanchez in Italy less than a week after the United flop signed for Inter Milan until the end of the season.

In what might be described as a parting shot, Alexis Sanchez suggested he would have been a success at Manchester United if only he'd played the full 90 minutes.

Inter Milan made it three wins out of three Serie A games as Antonio Conte's men secured a 1-0 win over a 10-man Udinese side on Saturday evening.

Manchester United 'will make a January swoop for Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic' as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer desperately tries to solve his striking woes. United's front line have struggled for goals.

Alexis Sanchez went from hero to zero on Saturday after scoring his first goal for Inter before being sent off after picking up a second bookable offence for diving against Sampdoria.

Juventus 'would seek a transfer fee of £9million from Manchester United' if they wanted to move for striker Mario Mandzukic in January. United desperately need more firepower up front.

Alexis Sanchez has been speaking like a man reborn since ending his horror Manchester United spell and sealing a move to Inter Milan, admitting he feels like he has fallen in love with football again.

The fact that Marcus Rashford has just one goal from open play in his last 16 games shows that he does not have the potency to lead an attack, at the moment at least.

Ribery netted two goals and an assist in his last three games against Atalanta, Sampdoria and AC Milan and got a standing ovation at the San Siro, such was his influence on the game.

According to The Athletic, United are hopeful that Inter will take Sanchez (right) on permanently next summer, allowing them to raise funds for RB Salzburg starlet Erling Haaland (left).

Sheffield United host Manchester United on Sunday in what represents the biggest financial mismatch in the Premier League this season. Here, Sportsmail compares the princes with the paupers.