UK services sector hit with record cost inflation spike after fuel prices surge April 23, 2026 Businesses recorded cost inflation at the highest level since the aftermath of Liz Truss’ chaotic mini-Budget in April as the consequences of the Iran war continued to ripple through the economy. A rapid increase in raw material prices led to a jump in costs for the manufacturing sector but the UK’s all-important services sector – [...]
Asos shares uptick despite narrowing losses April 23, 2026 Asos shares are up by more than 3 per cent on Thursday as the online fashion giant focuses on efforts to bear down on its losses. The group cut its pre-tax loss by more than £100m to £137.9m for the six months to the beginning of March, while revenue slid 14 per cent to £1.1bn. [...]
AJ Bell inflows surge after record customer growth April 23, 2026 One of the UK’s largest investment platforms recorded a surge in net inflows in its latest trading update after attracting an influx of new customers. AJ Bell reported a 42 per cent rise in net inflows during the second quarter of the financial year, jumping from £1.9bn in 2025 to £2.7bn. Gross inflows also hiked [...]
Santander hits pause on €5bn buyback after US takeover April 23, 2026 Santander has been forced to hit the pause button on its bumper buyback programme announced earlier this year to comply with US regulation. The Spanish-headquartered bank told markets on Thursday it would temporarily suspend the €5bn (£4.3bn) buyback launched in February to comply with US regulation around its takeover of Webster. The lender struck a [...]
Tesla leans on AI and robotics as earnings fail to woo investors April 23, 2026 Tesla delivered a mixed first quarter update on Wednesday evening, beating profit expectations but missing on revenue as its core car business continued to come under pressure. The electric vehicle maker reported earnings of 41 cents per share, ahead of the 37 cents expected. Meanwhile, revenue came in at $22.39bn (£16.6bn), dipping slightly below forecasts [...]
The tax effect: Reeves borrowed less than OBR forecast April 23, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves oversaw lower government borrowing than the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast in the financial year 2024 to 2025, it has been revealed, pointing to the effect sweeping tax hikes have had in narrowing the deficit. The Office for National Statistics has shown that government borrowing over the last financial year was £132bn [...]
WH Smith profit grounded as flight cancellations take hold April 23, 2026 WH Smith shares tumbled after the retailer adopted a more “cautious outlook” as the Iran war sparks a slowdown in international tourism. The retailer’s share price fell by more than 15 per cent on Thursday’s open, to 532p, leaving the stock down more than 16 per cent in the year so far. The stationer suffered [...]
RELX: FTSE 100 group says AI tools power strong start to 2026 April 23, 2026 RELX has told markets on it started 2026 strongly, with growth across all parts of the business supported by demand for AI-enabled data and analytics products. In a trading update released ahead of its annual general meeting, the FTSE 100 group said it is seeing continued growth in both revenue and profit, alongside strong new [...]
London local elections 2026: Who will win? April 23, 2026 Political turmoil in Westminster and voter anxiety across a range of issues could see the political map of London redrawn after the upcoming local elections. Felix Armstrong, Mauricio Alencar, Matt Kenyon, Samuel Norman, Saskia Koopman and Simon Hunt preview how residents in each of the capital’s 32 boroughs could vote on May 7. The Greens [...]
Sainsbury’s warns of Iran war hit to customers, share price dips April 23, 2026 Sainsbury’s has warned that the Iran war “will impact both our customers and our business,” as the supermarket giant saw its share price fall. The FTSE 100 grocer’s underlying retail profit fell by more than one per cent to £1bn, which Sainsbury’s said was due to “significant operating cost inflation,” as total sales grew by [...]