OBR risks being ‘unreasonably pessimistic’ as Reeves set to be given leeway October 10, 2025 The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) risks being “unreasonably pessimistic” if it decides to downgrade productivity growth trends by more than 0.1 percentage point, fresh analysis has indicated, in what could hand Chancellor Rachel Reeves some extra leeway at this year’s Budget. The fiscal watchdog is widely expected to downgrade productivity forecasts as part of [...]
British icon in the red after Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes costs jobs October 10, 2025 John Smedley, the historic family-owned luxury knitwear brand, has been forced to raise prices and make redundancies as it battles Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes as it fell into the red. The Derbyshire-headquartered business can trace its roots back to 1784 and is currently run by the eighth generation of the Smedley family. Executive chairman [...]
Budget rumours spark a surge in client queries for financial advisers October 10, 2025 Independent financial advisers have seen a significant uptick in client enquiries in the run up to the Budget, as speculation over tax changes continues to plague Brits. According to analysis from wealth management firm, Rathbones,90 per cent of independent financial advisers (IFAs) have reported a spike in client enquiries as the November Budget inches closer. [...]
Former Chelsea chief lands role with Hong Kong Jockey Club October 10, 2025 Former Chelsea chief Casper Stylsvig has been appointed sports business executive director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Stylsvig had been stalwart of Chelsea since 2023 – having also held roles at Fulham, Barcelona, Manchester United and AC Milan – but departed the club in September with some reports citing the failure to secure a [...]
Google could be forced to change search in the UK October 10, 2025 Google may be forced to make changes to how its search engine operates in the UK after the competition watchdog granted it ‘strategic market status’ under the country’s new digital markets regime. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed the designation on Friday, giving it new powers to impose rules on Google’s search and advertising [...]
Nutella owners plan $100m World Cup and Super Bowl marketing spree October 10, 2025 Nutella owner Ferrero will spend over $100m on marketing campaigns related to the Fifa World Cup and 2026 Super Bowl. The confectioner, founded in Italy but based in Luxembourg, has been in the United States for decades but is looking to surge into the North American sports sector. The United States will co-host the 2026 [...]
What an AI bubble could mean for Reeves October 10, 2025 The traditional ministerial photo-op of walking around a construction site clad in a high-vis jacket and a hard hat usually takes place at a factory or housing site. But last month, chancellor Rachel Reeves donned fluorescent yellow for a different facility – a huge data centre built to power the UK’s digital economy through AI. [...]
NBA matches to be staged in China for first time since 2019 October 10, 2025 China will host NBA matches for the first time since 2019 this weekend after six years of being frozen out due to a dispute over Hong Kong. One of the basketball league’s managers stated their support for pro-democracy protestors in Hong Hong back in 2019 and China has since held a hard line on matches [...]
Don’t stop at housing, abolish stamp duty on shares too October 10, 2025 Abolishing stamp duty on housing would be a bold step towards economic renewal. But don't stop there, says Blake Stephenson.
Farewell to Nutmeg and the first chapter of fintech’s story October 10, 2025 When I read that J.P.Morgan will retire the Nutmeg brand later this year, it felt like the end of a chapter, not just for them, but for all of us who began this journey together. For more than a decade, Nutmeg and Moneyfarm were often spoken of in the same breath. Two young companies trying [...]