UK firms eye AI spending in 2026, but skills gap threatens rollout December 30, 2025 A third of British businesses plan to invest in AI in 2026, yet new data suggests the bigger challenge may be readying staff for the technology, rather than rolling it out at speed. Research from Lloyds Bank’s recent business barometer revealed that 33 per cent of firms intend to invest in AI tools next year, [...]
Private equity firms sell assets to themselves at a record rate in 2025 December 30, 2025 Private equity firms sold companies to themselves at an unprecedented rate this year, using a controversial tactic to hold on to assets as managers struggled to find buyers or list their investments. First reported in the Financial Times, roughly a fifth of all private equity (PE) sales in 2025 involved groups raising money from new [...]
Greg Jackson spins off Octopus’ tech arm Kraken after $1bn injection December 30, 2025 Octopus Energy Group has spun off its technology arm, Kraken, following its first standalone investment round. The fresh funding round for Kraken was led by global investment giant D1 Capital Partners, with new investors including Fidelity International, Durable Capital Partners and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board. Kraken – which is an AI-powered platform now contracted [...]
House prices plunge around London with Brighton, Crawley hit hardest December 30, 2025 Patches of London’s ‘stockbroker belt’ suffered the most significant decline in house prices this year, as both the capital and the South East fell behind northern regions. The West Sussex town of Crawley suffered an 8.9 per cent drop of £36,317, while High Wycombe saw a 7.4 per cent drop, with £34,994 wiped off house [...]
Exclusive: O2 Arena open to hosting NBA Europe after record-breaking year December 30, 2025 The owners of London’s O2 Arena have insisted they have enough days in their calendar to host a NBA Europe franchise in the capital should the league launch in 2027. The US basketball league is exploring the possibility of setting up a European equivalent, tapping into major football club brands this side of the pond. [...]
UK consumers cut spending amid wider economic nerves December 30, 2025 UK consumers’ debit and credit card spending slumped in 2025 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic as wider economic nerves knocked confidence. Card spending fell 0.2 per cent in the last 12 months, according to Barclays, a sharp contrast to the 1.6 per cent growth recorded in 2024. Just a quarter of British [...]
Tax crackdown in 2026: Why experts predict a wave of enforcement actions December 30, 2025 Under the Labour government, HMRC has shifted from a reactive to a highly proactive stance, and tax experts expect increased tax enforcement in the new year. The government has committed to invest an additional £555m annually in HMRC to boost tax compliance and transform its technology. The investment aims to raise an extra £5.1bn in [...]
Tottenham Hotspur co-owner Daniel Levy gets gong in New Year Honours list December 29, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur co-owner Daniel Levy has received a gong from the King in the 2026 New Year Honours list. Levy, whose near 25-year tenure as chairman of the north London club came to an end in September, has been given a CBE by Charles III. The club said Levy, who still has a stake in [...]
Fifa boss Infantino defends 2026 World Cup ticket prices, citing demand December 29, 2025 Fifa boss Gianni Infantino has defended the price of tickets for next year’s World Cup. Football’s governing body has come under intense pressure surrounding the cost of tickets, with the cheapest seat at next summer’s final costing over £3,000. Infantino’s Fifa was forced to introduce capped tickets for some fans of the teams competing at [...]
Accountancy body reverts to in-person exams over AI cheating fears December 29, 2025 The UK’s accounting body, which has almost 260,000 members, is planning to halt remote exams amid a surge of students cheating with AI. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has said that from March it will no longer allow students to take online exams, except in exceptional circumstances. Remote testing, like in many universities [...]