UK business confidence surged in May to its highest level since last August, according to new data from Lloyds Bank, driven by a sharp rebound in global financial markets and a softening in trade tensions between the US and its partners. The Lloyds Bank business barometer rose by 11 points to 50 per cent, up […]
Reform UK has become the first political party in Britain to accept bitcoin and other cryptocurrency donations, Nigel Farage announced during a high-profile appearance at the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas. Farage told the audience that Reform UK had updated its website to accept crypto donations from eligible UK donors, marking what he called an […]
Celebrity interior designer Celia Sawyer has accused Netflix of copying her idea for an erotic home makeover show, claiming the streaming giant’s How to Build a Sex Room mimics a concept she previously pitched — and was told would be “deleted”. Sawyer, best known for Channel 4’s Four Rooms and frequently dubbed the “Queen of […]
Elon Musk’s Starlink is on track to play a larger role in the UK’s broadband infrastructure, with telecoms regulator Ofcom proposing new temporary spectrum licences to expand the satellite internet provider’s capacity across the country. Under the plans, Starlink would gain access to additional E band frequencies at three of its existing ground stations in […]
Britain’s car industry suffered its worst April in over 70 years, with new figures revealing a sharp fall in vehicle production that underscores deepening challenges facing the sector. Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that UK car output fell by 8.9 per cent last month, with only 56,500 vehicles rolling […]
High street banks have begun hiking mortgage rates for borrowers with large deposits, in a move that could add hundreds of pounds a year to the cost of remortgaging for wealthier homeowners. The shift comes as stubborn inflation figures dampen hopes of further interest rate cuts this summer. Over the past week, nine lenders — […]
Hopes for a sustained recovery in UK hiring “hang in the balance” as employer sentiment is hit by concerns over rising payroll taxes and incoming workers’ rights legislation, according to a new report by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC). In its latest survey released on Thursday, the REC found that while short and medium-term […]
Thames Water has been handed a record-breaking £122.7 million fine by Ofwat following two damning investigations into the UK’s largest water utility. The regulator found the company had breached key obligations relating to its wastewater operations and had unlawfully issued dividends despite poor environmental and customer performance. Ofwat confirmed this morning that £104.5 million of […]
The UK’s government bond market is increasingly exposed to the risk of sharp price swings and sudden sell-offs, the International Monetary Fund has warned, due to a growing reliance on hedge funds and foreign investors. In its annual health check of the UK economy, the IMF said the gilts market was showing signs of potential […]
University of Cambridge leaders have issued a stark warning that the UK risks falling behind in the race to commercialise world-class research unless it does more to support academic spin-out companies struggling to scale. Speaking at a London showcase of Cambridge’s most promising spin-outs, university figures and venture capitalists said that while Britain remains a […]