Marmite maker Unilever creates food empire in $45bn merger March 31, 2026 Unilever has sealed a $45bn merger of its food brands with US spice and seasoning giant McCormick, forging a $60bn food empire in which the London-based firm holds a majority stake. Unilever and its shareholders will own 65 per cent in the new body, with the firm receiving $15.7bn (£11.6bn) in cash and the equivalent [...]
Trump tells Starmer to ‘go get your own oil’ March 31, 2026 President Donald Trump has told Sir Keir Starmer that the UK will have to “fight for yourself” as the US would not provide any support in fuel supplies. In another threat targeted at Starmer posted on his own social media platform, the US president mocked the UK’s struggles in obtaining jet fuel because of a [...]
Michele Kang committed to funding London City Lionesses after £10.6m loss March 31, 2026 London City Lionesses chiefs insist Michele Kang will continue to fund the club’s growth after they posted a £10.6m loss for the 2024-25 season, when they won promotion to the Women’s Super League. US billionaire Kang, who also owns French side OL Lyonnes and NWSL team Washington Spirit, injected £12.5m into London City Lionesses via [...]
German backers of Olympia redevelopment add new £500m investment March 31, 2026 The German investors behind the redevelopment of Kensington’s Olympia exhibition centre have committed an additional £500m as the consortium refinances the project. Deutsche Bank AG will hand a £900m loan to the consortium behind the project, which includes German pension fund Bayerische Versorgungskammer and insurer Versorgungskammer Bayern. The project is one of London’s biggest regeneration [...]
Deutsche Bank hit with £700m lawsuit in London by former executives March 31, 2026 Four former Deutsche Bank executives have filed a £700m legal action in the High Court alleging the bank conspired to injure them by “unlawful means.” The history of the claim stems from a decade-long saga that began with the Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) scandal, which led to criminal convictions that have now been [...]
Andy Haldane: My mission to ignite Britain’s animal spirits March 31, 2026 As the Bank of England’s chief economist, Andy Haldane had a front row seat to the maladies of UK’s sluggish economy. After a four-year stint running the RSA, he is back as president of the British Chambers of Commerce, and tells Ali Lyon business is still taxed mindlessly, over regulated, and far too risk averse. [...]
Motor finance compensation to ‘to fire starting gun’ on banking M&A March 31, 2026 The financial watchdog’s long-awaited motor finance redress scheme is predicted to “fire the starting gun” on a wave of deals throughout the banking sector. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched the final rules for its redress programme on Monday, with the bill for lenders expected to come in at just north of £9bn, down from [...]
Energy price cap set to jump as consumers brace for soaring bills March 31, 2026 The Ofgem energy price cap is expected to leap by 18 per cent after June as households brace for the impact of spiralling oil and gas prices. Energy consultancy firm Cornwall Insight has forecast the average annual energy bill to be set by the regulator Ofgem at £1,929 in July. It would represent a £288 [...]
LeBron, McIlroy, Ronaldo in $575m Whoop raise at $10bn valuation March 31, 2026 LeBron James, Rory McIlroy and Cristiano Ronaldo are among a group of athletes part of a $575m raise that values wearable technology firm Whoop at $10.1bn. The Series G funding round, raising over $500m, is led by the likes of the Audi Formula 1 investors Qatar Investment Authority and Saudi Aramco Oil Pipelines stakeholders the [...]
Britain’s most AI-exposed sectors foot biggest tax bill March 31, 2026 The UK sectors most exposed to artificial AI are concentrated in the same parts of the economy that generate the bulk of tax revenues, according to government and industry data. A 2026 assessment from the UK government shows AI is most applicable to tasks involving data processing, analysis and routine cognitive work, activities concentrated in [...]