Labour’s ‘growth’ agenda already looks like a bad joke November 7, 2024 Well, that didn’t take long to unravel: the first Labour Budget for nearly 15 years, and the first ever by a female chancellor, saw the parallels with Kwasi Kwarteng’s infamous 2022 mini-Budget emerging within hours. The comparison was misguided, although the jittery reaction of financial investors and rise in government funding costs told its own [...]
US fintech giant Affirm muscles into UK’s buy-now pay-later market November 4, 2024 US fintech giant Affirm has launched a UK buy-now pay-later (BNPL) offering as it looks to grab a slice of the fast-growing market in a challenge to the likes of Klarna, Clearpay and Zilch.
Why millennial women are efficient – but not very productive – mothers October 31, 2024 Millennial women have reached child-bearing age in a corporate culture that encourages them to have fewer babies, closer together and later in life, says Eliza Filby Few may have seen the link between yesterday’s budget and the latest fertility rates from the ONS which showed they have dropped to their lowest mark since records began. [...]
Autumn Budget 2024: Fuel duty frozen as hike would be the ‘wrong choice’ October 30, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has declared a rise in fuel duty in 2025 would be the “wrong choice” as she pledged to continue the freeze and maintain the temporary 5p cut for another year. In her first Budget, Reeves told MPs that to retain the 5p cut and freeze fuel duty again would cost more than [...]
Convenience stores issued £634m warning ahead of Budget October 29, 2024 A lobby group has warned convenience stores could be set for a huge bill next year as tax hikes are expected to be included in the Autumn Budget. The Association of Convenience Stores has said the sector will face a potential bill of £634m due to wage increases, plus changes to National Insurance contributions and [...]
Insolvencies at fashion manufacturers jump on cocktail of cost pressures October 29, 2024 Insolvencies at UK fashion manufacturers have risen by nearly a quarter in the past year as a combination of supply and demand pressures has driven firms under while customers switch to pre-loved clothing. According to Forvis Mazars, the international tax and advisory firm, over 100 companies went bust in the year to July 2024, up [...]
Bulmers help C&C outperform the alcohol market October 29, 2024 Drinks company C&C has reported results in line with expectations as its core brands Bulmers and Tennent’s outperformed the market. The company has also reconfirmed its commitment to return a minimum of €150m (£125m) to shareholders over the next three years, adding that it has already completed €38m of buybacks. C&C will pay an interim [...]
OVO Arena Wembley creates over 250 jobs and doubles profit October 28, 2024 OVO Arena Wembley doubled its profit and created more than 250 jobs during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. AEG Facilities UK, the business behind the London venue, has reported a pre-tax profit of £2m for 2023, up from the £1m it posted in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show that [...]
British athletes issue stark warning to government over funding October 23, 2024 British sport could lose hundreds of elite athletes before the LA 2028 Olympics and Paralympics unless the Government increases funding for the next four-year cycle. The stark warning comes after 85 per cent of funded athletes in a new survey said they would not or might not continue competing if forced to make do with [...]
Virgin Wines: Revenue flat as it looks to weather bottleneck in market October 22, 2024 Online wine seller Virgin Wines has reported flat year-on-year revenue as it searches for ways to acquire loyal customers and increase efficiency in a tough trading environment. Total revenue remained at £59m in the year ended 28 June, while profit before tax increased by £2.4m to £1.7m, from a loss of £0.7m in 2023. Adjusted [...]