Business
Parents say Jersey is ‘not as family-friendly as it should be’
BBCWith its beautiful beaches, low crime rate and small community, Jersey is often considered an attractive place to raise children.
But parents have told the BBC that high costs and a lack of effective support from politicians and employers mean the island does not cater to families as well as it could.
Mother to a one and three-year-old, Katherine Jauncey said she believed there needed to be a “cultural shift” away from prioritising the social wellbeing of older islanders to focus on parents and children.
The island’s government said it understood families struggled with the high cost of living and it had set up several initiatives “aimed at improving family life in Jersey”.
Mrs Jauncey moved to Jersey with her husband who was born and raised there.
She said some aspects of bringing up her children on the island were “really great”, such as how safe it was and the system of state-supported private schools.
However, she added: “Families and individuals with children are really not prioritised in Jersey culture”.
“There’s a work culture that is unfairly weighted on the side of the employer… and the fact that our culture as an island is very much directed towards the elderly who have a large amount of the voting power.”
She said the island was “focused on the people who are shouting the loudest”, adding that often older people were the ones with the time and energy to do so.
‘Lack of childcare’
Mrs Jauncey said, despite a push to get women in particular back into the workforce, there was a “lack of support for parents with children under five” made worse by a “lack of affordable childcare”.
A report prepared for the government in 2024 found average childcare fees in Jersey were almost 50% higher than in England, while a survey of parents found 95% of those asked thought childcare was too expensive.
The government has announced plans to introduce an additional 15 free hours of nursery care per week for two-year-olds, but there has been concern from parents and nursery staff that it will not be enough.
Family campaigner and mother-of-three Denise Heavey said her own experience of paying nursery fees was “financially crippling”.
“Some months we were paying £2,200 and that was my salary swallowed up,” she said.
She kept working while her children were young but said a lot of parents were “forced out of the workplace because of the high cost of nursery care”.
To remedy this, she said the government needed to think about greater financial support for parents, particularly when returning to work after parental leave.
She added that businesses should also work harder to implement family-friendly policies, such as flexible working arrangements.
Mrs Jauncey has also called for greater statutory rights for working parents, including specific days outside annual leave to look after sick children.
It is not just the cost of childcare that is a cause for concern.
Single mother Karla Divin said the cost of living as a whole was the “most dominant concern” for parents.
In Jersey, prices are continuing to rise with the latest figures showing inflation at 2.8%.
Ms Divin said: “Childcare fees, rent, household bills, food and general expenses often consume an entire monthly wage, leaving little to no disposable income.”
She said this often meant families had to sacrifice experiences that could support a child’s development, such as school trips or extracurricular activities.
“Parents are often forced to prioritise essentials over opportunity,” she said.
Errol Mittoo, a father of four, told the BBC the island had a lot to offer young people but the “cost of bringing up a family was quite high”.
“You do struggle a bit when you’ve got children.”
What is the government doing to help?
In a statement, the government told the BBC it has introduced several measures to make lives better for families in Jersey. These included:
Alongside increased support for the nursery sector, ministers also said they had plans to publish a new play strategy to make sure children could play in all residential areas.
‘Look at solutions’
Outside government, a number of charities and individuals have stepped in to provide support.
Mrs Heavey, for example, has recently launched MentorHood, a community network offering support groups, workshops and meet ups to parents and caregivers in Jersey.
She has set up the group with another mother, Alice Vincenti, to build parents’ confidence and help them be “better performers at work and and be more present parents at home”.
However, she said it was “incredibly frustrating as a parent” that they were having to provide information and help to their peers when the government could make it readily available.
Mrs Heavey said she would like to see politicians making bold choices about childcare and support for parents, considering solutions on a much longer timeline than one political term.
She said this was a necessity given Jersey’s ageing population.
She said: “We can’t just keep saying with every new government that goes in that we’re going to basically start a project and it’s going to stop and then we start again.
“We have such a wonderful island and I think that we can be very, very family-focused, and we can look at solutions to encourage more people to bring their families here too, you know; have more children and to want to stay on the island.”
Business
Insolvency ruling: CoC cannot alter approved resolution plan or reallocate dissenting creditors’ funds, says NCLAT – The Times of India
The insolvency appellate tribunal NCLAT has ruled that the Committee of Creditors (CoC) cannot modify an approved resolution plan to reallocate funds meant for dissenting financial creditors, reaffirming limits on the exercise of commercial wisdom after a plan has been cleared, PTI reported.Dismissing an appeal filed by Bank of Baroda in the insolvency proceedings of Reliance Communications Infrastructure Ltd (RCIL), a two-member bench of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal said that once a resolution plan is approved, the assenting members of the CoC cannot alter its financial distribution framework.“It is true that the CoC with commercial wisdom can take a decision regarding different aspects of the plan, including manner of distribution, but once the commercial wisdom has been exercised by approving the resolution plan in meeting, the modification of the said distribution mechanism, which is impermissible, cannot be saved in the name of commercial wisdom of the CoC,” NCLAT said in its order.The appeal arose from the insolvency resolution of RCIL, where the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had approved the resolution plan submitted by Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Ltd (RPPMSL), a subsidiary of Jio. The plan was approved by 67.97 per cent of the CoC by vote share on August 5, 2021.While Bank of Baroda voted in favour of the plan, lenders including IDBI Bank and State Bank of India dissented. The plan was subsequently placed before the Mumbai bench of the NCLT for approval.Bank of Baroda later approached the NCLT seeking directions to convene a CoC meeting to consider reallocation of proceeds under the approved resolution plan, particularly in relation to a loan to Reliance Bhutan. Acting on this, the NCLT on October 17, 2023 directed the resolution professional to convene a CoC meeting.At the meeting held on October 27, 2023, a resolution proposing reallocation and reassignment of the Reliance Bhutan loan was passed with a 67.55 per cent majority, though IDBI Bank and SBI objected to the move.On December 19, the NCLT approved the resolution plan as originally proposed by RPPMSL. IDBI Bank subsequently challenged the October 27, 2023 CoC decision, arguing that the reallocation of proceeds violated the approved resolution plan.The NCLT held that the CoC could not alter the financial layout relating to the entitlement of financial creditors once the resolution plan had been approved. It also noted that the Reliance Bhutan loan, which was to be assigned to assenting financial creditors under the plan, could not be reassigned to dissenting lenders through a subsequent CoC decision.In its October 10, 2025 order, the NCLT ruled that the approved resolution plan could not be modified in this manner. Bank of Baroda challenged this decision before the NCLAT.Upholding the NCLT’s view, the appellate tribunal said, “The Adjudicating Authority in the impugned order after considering all relevant clauses has rightly come to the conclusion that the decision of the CoC dated 27.10.2023 is contrary to the approved resolution plan and cannot bind the dissenting financial creditors.”“We are in full agreement with the view taken by the adjudicating authority as noted above. The adjudicating authority did not commit any error in allowing the plea filed by the IDBI Bank. We do not find any good ground to interfere with the decision of the adjudicating authority,” NCLAT added, dismissing the appeal.
Business
Apollo Techno Industries IPO Last Day: Issue Receives 50.63x Subscription; GMP Rises To 9.23%
Last Updated:
Unlisted shares of Apollo Techno Industries are trading at Rs 136 apiece in the grey market, which is 4.6% premium over the issue price of Rs 130, indicating weak listing.
Apollo Techno Industries IPO.
Apollo Techno Industries IPO GMP: The initial public offering (IPO) of Apollo Techno Industries Ltd (ATIL) has been closed today, Friday, December 26. The price band of the Rs 47.96-crore IPO has been fixed in the range of Rs 123 and Rs 130. On the final day of bidding on Friday, the IPO received a total of 50.63x times subscription, garnering bids for 12,42,53,000 shares as against 24,54,000 shares on offer.
Its retail category got a 44.81x subscription, while its non-institutional investor (NII) quota got a 98x subscription. Its qualified institutional buyer (QIB) category has received a 25.26x subscription.
ATIL is a manufacturer specialising in trenchless technology and foundation equipment for the construction industry
Apollo Techno Industries IPO GMP Today
According to market observers, unlisted shares of Apollo Techno Industries Ltd are currently trading at Rs 142 apiece in the grey market, which is a 9.23 per cent premium over the issue price of Rs 130. It indicates a weak listing. Its listing will take place on December 31, Wednesday.
The GMP had stood at 4.62 per cent in the morning.
The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing. ‘Grey market premium’ indicates investors’ readiness to pay more than the issue price.
Apollo Techno Industries IPO: More Details
The Apollo Techno Industries Limited IPO is a book-built issue worth ₹47.96 crore, comprising only a fresh issue of 0.37 crore equity shares. There is no offer-for-sale component in the issue.
The IPO opened for subscription on December 23, 2025, and will close on December 26, 2025. The basis of allotment is expected to be finalised on December 29, 2025, while the shares are scheduled to list on the BSE SME platform on December 31, 2025, subject to approvals.
The price band for the issue has been fixed at Rs 123 to Rs 130 per share. The lot size is 1,000 shares. Retail investors are required to apply for a minimum of 2 lots (2,000 shares), translating into an investment of Rs 2.60 lakh at the upper end of the price band. For HNIs, the minimum application size is 3 lots (3,000 shares), amounting to Rs 3.90 lakh.
Beeline Capital Advisors Pvt Ltd is the book running lead manager to the issue, while MUFG Intime India Pvt Ltd is acting as the registrar. The market-making duties will be handled by Spread X Securities Pvt Ltd.
Apollo Techno Industries reported strong financial growth in FY25. The company’s revenue rose 44 percent, while profit after tax (PAT) surged 327 percent for the year ended March 31, 2025, compared with the previous financial year.
Incorporated in 2016, Apollo Techno Industries operates in the manufacturing and technology space, with a focus on equipment used in the construction and infrastructure sector.
The company specialises in trenchless technology and foundation equipment, catering to complex construction requirements. Its product portfolio includes Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) rigs, Diaphragm Drilling Rigs, Rotary Drilling Rigs, along with associated spare parts.
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December 26, 2025, 10:51 IST
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The KSE-100 Index posted a solid +0.58% gain on a week-on-week basis, closing the period on a positive note amid strong investor sentiment.
The primary catalyst was the landmark privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), finalized at Rs135 billion (approximately US$480 million), marking one of the largest and most significant privatization deals in Pakistan's history.
The successful auction, won by the Arif Habib-led consortium for a 75% stake, signals a major step toward reducing the government's burden from loss-making state-owned enterprises and boosting private sector confidence.
Market Snapshot – December 26th, 2025
Unlock today’s market moves and stay one step ahead!
Here’s what’s making waves:
ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds): Most Active in Today’s Market
Market Indices – At a Glance:
•KSE-100: Pullers & Draggers
•KMI-30: Pullers & Draggers pic.twitter.com/rCQIk0IVGt
— PSX (@pakstockexgltd) December 26, 2025
A positive session was observed at the exchange, as the index gained to close at an all-time high of 172,400 level (up by +0.92%).
Top positive contributions to the index came from ENGROH, PPL, SYS, NBP, and MLCF, as they cumulatively added +774 points to the index, according to Topline Securities. Traded value-wise, BOP (Rs3.1b), NBP (Rs2.94b), SEARL (Rs2.05b), PPL (Rs2.03b), PTC (Rs1.51b), and MLCF (Rs1.35b) dominated the trading activity. Traded value and volume for the day stood at 797 million shares and Rs38b, respectively.
Today, 59% of the total equity value traded at PSX was in Shariah-compliant stocks!
Learn about the top 3 Shariah Compliant Stocks in today's PSX Market Breakdown pic.twitter.com/TXQAxCc95U
— PSX (@pakstockexgltd) December 26, 2025
This positive momentum was further supported by the State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) recent 50 basis points policy rate cut to 10.5%, which continued to encourage investment in equities by lowering borrowing costs and improving liquidity. Trading activity remained robust, with average daily volumes at 736 million shares and a value of Rs31.5b.
Analysts view this as a turning point for market reforms, with the PIA deal expected to pave the way for more divestments and enhanced economic efficiency.
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