2025 was set to be the year of AI agents. It was not. January 6, 2026 At the end of 2024, just over a year ago today, tech behemoth and OpenAI boss Sam Altman predicted that AI agents would completely upturn the workplace before year end. AI agents are software programmes which break down any given task into smaller, more manageable steps, allowing them to devise and execute them with little [...]
Soaring food costs send shop price inflation higher January 6, 2026 Soaring food costs pushed shop price inflation higher in December, fresh data has revealed, as Brits faced the crunch during the Christmas season. Food inflation reached 3.3 per cent in the final month of 2025, up from three per cent in November, with fresh produce rising to 3.8 per cent from 3.6 per cent previously. [...]
Interpath and beyond: The surge of private equity investment in professional services January 5, 2026 It was revealed this morning that Big Four giant KPMG’s former restructuring division, Interpath Advisory, was in exclusive negotiations with Bridgepoint to acquire a majority stake in its business, the latest in a string of private equity deals in the professional services sector. KPMG sold the arm to private equity group HIG Capital in 2021 for £400m. [...]
Littler leads 2026 Premier League Darts roster with £500,000 on line January 5, 2026 Double world champion Luke Littler will head up the 2026 Premier League Darts roster with over £500,000 on the line. Eight players have been selected for the 17-event tournament, which concludes with a May final at London’s O2 Arena. Littler – who won his second consecutive PDC World Championship in his third successive final – [...]
Some Scots to get bank holiday to celebrate Fifa World Cup January 5, 2026 Some Scots will enjoy a bank holiday this year to celebrate the national team’s return to the Fifa World Cup. Scotland qualified for the event – co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico – to reach their first World Cup since 1998. And Scottish First Minister John Swinney has said that 15 June will [...]
Football-style firings in SMEs: A risky game for business owners January 5, 2026 HR professionals are seeing SMEs start to copy football’s “sack the boss” culture when things go south for the company, but warn that this strategy could turn into an “expensive legal headache”. Managers of major football teams, especially those in the Premier League, can operate like a revolving door when the team is in a [...]
Howden expands US footprint with acquisition of Atlantic Global Risk January 5, 2026 Insurance giant Howden has acquired US independent transaction-liability insurance broker Atlantic Global Risk as part of its US expansion. New York-headquartered Atlantic Group has over 110 people across four key business areas: representations and warranties insurance, tax liability insurance, contingent risk insurance, and credit risk insurance. Howden’s focus in the USA is a strategic and [...]
Trump’s push for ‘crypto capital’ sparks PwC shift towards digital assets January 5, 2026 The US arm of the Big Four giant PwC has changed its stance on cryptocurrency work following President Donald Trump’s fondness for digital assets. Trump has pledged to make the US the “crypto capital of the world” after passing the ‘Genius Act’, which governs digital assets such as stablecoins, into law last year. As a [...]
Fashion giant Zara holds a mirror up to retail disruption January 5, 2026 Zara is on a mission to be more digital. From AI generated models, to reduced production timelines, to a new AI-powered virtual try-on feature, the moves point to a wider shift within the sector. The Spanish retail giant has spent the last few weeks modernising its strategy, fully embracing AI adoption to cut costs and [...]
Triumph: Profit almost wiped out at iconic motorcycles maker January 5, 2026 Profit at iconic motorcycles maker Triumph has almost been wiped out thanks to US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs and the cost-of-living crisis. The Derbyshire-headquartered business, which is owned by billionaire John Bloor, has posted a pre-tax profit of £2.2m for the year to 30 June, 2025. That figure is down significantly from the pre-tax [...]