What to Watch: BMW-owner profit warning, Boots bans bags, and £100m boost for wind power

Here are the top business, market, and economic stories you should be watching today in the UK, Europe, and abroad:

Profit warning at BMW-owner Daimler

Shares in German car maker Daimler (DAI.DE) fell over 4% on Monday after the BMW-owner issued its third profit warning in a year.

Daimler issued a profit warning on Sunday, saying it was setting aside a “high three digit million amount” to cover the fallout from Diesel-gate, the scandal involving cheating emissions tests. Daimler also warned that its Mercedes Benz-Van division was also performing below expectations.

As a result, Daimler said earnings for the year are now set to be flat.

Over the weekend, Daimler was also ordered to recall 60,000 Mercedes-cars that were found to have emissions cheating software installed.

Boots bans plastic bags

Boots will scrap all plastic bags from its stores from next year, the company has announced.

The retailer has begun to phase out plastic bags from today, starting in 53 stores across the UK.

The pharmacy and beauty chain says it hopes to take 900 tonnes of plastic out of use as its managing director highlighted the Blue Planet effect in raising awareness of plastic pollution.

Paper bags will be offered instead, with the recycled brown bags costing 5p, 7p or 10p depending on size.

£100m boost for wind power

The Offshore Wind Industry Council has launched a £100 million, 10-year programme to support UK businesses looking to capitalise on the growth in offshore wind around the world.

Industry chairman of the council, Benj Sykes, said: “The offshore wind industry is offering multimillion-pound opportunities to hundreds of innovative companies throughout the UK in the years ahead, including new entrants to the market as well as firms already working in this area.”

Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB union, said potential benefits from the boom in offshore wind and renewables had “passed the UK workforce and economy by”.

“Securing decent jobs in the renewables industry and its supply chain, and fairness in how decarbonisation costs are met, is now paramount,” Bowden said.

Board exodus at De La Rue

Banknote and passport-maker De La Rue (DLAR.L) has seen two more boardroom members quit just weeks after the chief executive headed for the door.

Chairman Philip Rogerson and senior independent director Andy Stevens both said they plan to leave this year, less than a month after another profit warning hit the business.

Rogerson said he would stay in place until a new chief executive has been appointed, and Stevens will leave no later than the end of the year.

Taxpayers may pay to keep cash alive

The UK government may have to step in and fund cash machines if rates of cash usage continue to decline, according to a new report.

The Future of Finance report warned that people who rely on cash could struggle to access it in future if rates of cash usage continue to decline.

“It may be necessary for the state to support the cash economy as a public good, as without this, the incentives for many actors will be to reduce the use cash,” the report said.

Europe markets hover

European markets were mixed on Monday, with Daimler’s profit warning hitting the DAX while a rally for oil helps the FTSE.

Britain's FTSE 100 (^FTSE) was up by 0.1%, by Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) was down by 0.5%, France's CAC 40 (^FCHI) was down by 0.1%, and the Euronext 100 (^N100) was flat.

Asian markets were quiet. Japan's Nikkei 225 (^N225) ended up 0.1%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index (^HSI) was up by 0.1%, and China's benchmark Shanghai Composite (000001.SS) was up by 0.2%.

What to expect in the US

US stock futures were pointing to a quiet open.

S&P 500 futures (ES=F) were up by 0.2%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) were up by 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures (NQ=F) were up by 0.3%.