Standard Chartered shares jump as much as 20% after First Abu Dhabi Bank takeover report

The financial sector lit up the FTSE 100 after a report of international bid interest in Standard Chartered, which sent shares in the emerging markets lender up by as much … Continue Reading →

Blow for Microsoft as UK competition watchdog delays merger with Call of Duty maker Activision

Xboss boss Phil Spencer said he would bring the Call of Duty franchise to Nintendo consoles if the merger is approved in a bid to appease concerns by the regulator

Top UK-listed tech firms lose £20 billion in value in 2022

A number of firms have been forced to slash the size of their workforce in a bid to cut costs and stay afloat

Mercurial Wolfson leads Next to strong Christmas trading

Inflation begins to fall says retail bellweather

Inflation vow realistic ‘due to economic factors rather than political measures’

Economists believe inflation will steadily fall back over 2023 due to wider economic pressures and easing commodity prices.

Chancellor tells business chiefs energy bill scheme is ‘unsustainably expensive’

Mr Hunt met with bosses at business groups including the Confederation for British Industry, Institute of Directors and UKHospitality.

Train drivers’ strike will cripple services as union leaders warn of escalation

Members of Aslef will walk out, leaving large parts of the country with no trains all day.

UK workers at online giant Amazon to stage first ever strike amid pay dispute

Members of the GMB union based at a Coventry warehouse will walk out on January 25.

Hundreds of London tech employees face the sack as Salesforce slashes jobs

Salesforce employs over 2,500 people in the UK, according to its most recent filing with Companies House

Sainsbury’s ups London staff pay to almost £12 per hour as union slams rival Asda for not following suit

The supermarket will also extend its offer of free food to staff during shifts by a further six months

Sainsbury’s increases staff pay again to £11 an hour

The move represents an investment of £185 million, the retailer said.

Aldi and Lidl grab the supermarket Christmas crown

Double digit food inflation sends shoppers rushing to buy up cut price groceries for Christmas

People flock to small towns and shun city centres due to flexible working

People have enjoyed flexible commutes into their offices, new mobile phone data suggests.

RMT: Cool heads and brave hearts needed to end rail strikes

The union is calling for the UK Government to get involved in a bid to end the long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

Microsoft’s Bing steps up battle with Google with plans to incorporate AI technology behind ChatGPT

It took just five days for OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot to hit one million sign-ups after its launch in December

Chancellor to meet business groups as fears grow over cut to energy support

Calls are mounting for urgent clarity after the Government delayed setting out details that were originally due before the new year.

New TUC boss calls for urgent meeting with Rishi Sunak over ‘simply unsustainable’ strikes

Paul Nowak demands a change in government direction, saying ministers should open pay negotiations with unions

Christmas grocery spending reaches new record as food prices soar

The total value of sales has risen because of the increasing cost of food and drink rather than because people are spending more, according to Kantar.

More rail strike disruption as new TUC boss calls for urgent meeting with PM

Around half of Britain’s railway lines are closed and only a fifth of services are running on Wednesday.

Second day of new year strike action on railways as Scots return to work

ScotRail will run a skeleton service of 12 routes across the network on strike days.

Lovers hurting in time of rising prices – survey

Six in 10 people surveyed say the cost-of-living crisis has ‘negatively impacted’ upon their romantic relationship, according to Stowe Family Law.

Shares soar on first day of 2023 trading

The FTSE 100 hit a seven-month high during the day, but gave back some of its gains before closing time

Britain sees out the year with clean power records amid windy weather

New records were set on December 30 for wind power generation and share of zero carbon electricity on the grid.

Santander drops 2:1 requirement for graduate scheme

The Spanish bank said the move will open its programme to another 64,000 people every year.

Industrial action set to cause more disruption as 2023 begins

Services from trains to health are set to be hit by walkouts in January and beyond.

How is each train operator affected by the latest rail strikes?

Rail strikes are taking place every day between Tuesday and Saturday.

Bank borrowing less attractive than since financial crisis, say major UK firms

Deloitte’s survey of chief financial officers found credit has become more expensive than at any time since the 2008 crash.

Gas prices back under levels seen before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

As the government’s energy price guarantee goes up, there is hope for bill payers as wholesale gas prices fall

Aldi cheers record UK Christmas sales amid cost-of-living squeeze

The German discounter revealed that sales jumped by 26% in December to top £1.4 billion in the UK and Ireland for the first time.

Manufacturing sector hits 31-month low in new survey

Companies saw their PMI scores drop for the fifth month in a row.

UK suffering from ministers’ ‘outright incompetence’, economists warn

The UK is set for a deeper recession than other G7 nations, economists warned

Hotel Chocolat seeks to reverse botched Japanese expansion with new deal

The retailer plans to incorporate local ingredients into its recipes and add a ‘Japanese design aesthetic’ to the packaging of products sold in the territory

Poke House plans fundraise worth £44 million and eyes up Middle East

Co-founder Matteo Pichi told the PA news agency he wants the restaurant chain to remain a global leader.

Rail strikes: Minister tells RMT to ‘hammer out a deal’

Around half of Britain’s railway lines are closed and only a fifth of services are running as thousands of workers stage industrial action.

Cineworld denies talks with Odeon owner over sale of its cinemas

Responding to recent media reports, Cineworld said neither it nor its advisers or lenders have ever been in talks with AMC over a sale.

Hotel Chocolat agrees new Japan joint venture

The chain announced a deal with Tokyo-based Eat Creator Corporation which will include 21 Hotel Chocolat-branded shops across Japan.

Rail strikes: Warning of disruption as passengers return to work after new year

Passengers, including those returning to work after the festive break, were warned to expect ‘significant disruption’.

National Highways road traffic officers to begin 48-hour strike

The walkout by members of the Public and Commercial Services is part of industrial action in a bitter dispute over pay, pensions and jobs.

Drivers urged to plan ahead for New Year journeys as strikes hit highways

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) are planning a national walkout on January 3 and 4.

London market set for year of two halves after gloomy start to 2023, say experts

The fortunes of the stock market in 2023 are set to be linked closely to the predicted UK recession, path of interest rates and China’s reopening.

Charity shops are not a dumping ground for ultra-fast fashion, says Traid boss

Maria Chenoweth said charity shops are still full of gems from up to 70 years ago, including designer treasures.

Railway cleaners launch first national strike over pay and conditions

More than 1,000 contracted-out cleaners are on strike across the network.

Waitrose stops selling single-use vaping products

The supermarket chain said it cannot justify selling them, given their impact on the environment and ‘health of young people’.

FTSE 100’s small losses over 2022 help it outperform international markets

London’s top index fell by just 0.7% in 2022, and the pound lost about 1.5 cents against the US dollar.

Next set to reveal sales dip as ‘squeezed middle’ cut Christmas spending

Investors will be closely watching the fashion chain’s trading update on Thursday for detail on its sales figures over the festive season.

Shares drop as FTSE closes the year on a downer

The fall on Friday was led by the UK’s biggest housebuilders.

Banks to use AI and other digital tools to boost customer support

Lenders will play a vital role in 2023 as household incomes are further squeezed, mortgage rates rise, and businesses struggle.

Consumer spending jumps 10.6% in 2022 amid surging inflation

Spending was largely driven by higher utilities bills and customers returning to pubs, restaurants and shops.

London miner Ferrexpo says arrest of majority owner ‘unrelated’ to business

Kostiantyn Zhevago was arrested at a French ski resort following a request by authorities in Ukraine.

World’s richest tech execs lose over $400 billion in 2022

Elon Musk’s wealth has been the hardest hit this year, losing over $140 billion