Manufacturing growth loses momentum as economic risks loom Industrials The manufacturing sector suffered a slowdown in growth over August as smaller firms struggled to clinch new orders. S&P Global researchers suggested growth in the manufacturing sector eased in August as the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) reading dropped from 51.9 in July to 51.7. The reading remains above the neutral 50 mark, indicating that activity [...]
Government nationalises British Steel Industrials The government has brought British Steel under state ownership after the steelmaker’s nationalisation passed a public interest test. The Prime Minister said the move “secured the future of British steelmaking”, and follows the introduction of fresh legislation that made it easier for ministers to forcefully nationalise steel companies. Scunthorpe-based British Steel has appointed a revamped [...]
US glue maker swoops on AIM-listed manufacturer in £659m deal Industrials A US glue maker is set to hand London’s junior stock market another blow after snapping up medtech firm Advanced Medical Solutions. HB Fuller said on Thursday it would acquire the AIM-listed company in a deal that values it at £659m. The US manufacturer – which specialises in industrial adhesives and chemical products – offered [...]
Top UK business groups pledge to combat rise of antisemitism May 15, 2026 More than 40 of the UK’s leading business organisations have issued a joint statement rallying against antisemitism, stating is has reached a level that requires “specific attention”. An open letter signed by the likes of from the British Chambers of Commerce, the CBI, and the Federation of Small Businesses calls for business leaders across the [...]
HBO’s Industry shows finance is sexy again January 28, 2026 HBO's finance romp Industry didn't make an impact in 2020. Is its 2026 rise a recession indicator? Matt Kenyon muses.
Pensions, motorists and workers: The tax targets Rachel Reeves is eyeing up November 7, 2025 If there is one thing that is clear three weeks out from the Autumn Budget, it is that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will hike taxes. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which scores the economic impacts of the government’s policies and publishes forecasts on public finances, has been questioned for being over optimistic on measures such [...]
Manufacturing sector breakdown worsens amid ‘dearth of export work’ October 1, 2025 A breakdown in activity across the manufacturing sector has deepened as new data has shown export work coming to a halt and investment falling flat. S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for manufacturing in September showed the sector was still struggling to bounce back despite some quiet optimism in recent months. Activity in the sector [...]
Industry electricity costs for 7,000 businesses to be slashed by up to a quarter June 23, 2025 Electricity prices for 7,000 businesses in the UK are to be slashed by up to 25 per cent from 2027 as part of the government’s much-awaited Industrial Strategy. British manufacturers are facing the highest industrial electricity prices in the G7, with costs currently four times higher than those of the US and significantly higher than [...]
British Steel: ‘Anti-China rhetoric’ criticised as ‘absurd’ by embassy April 16, 2025 China’s embassy in Britain has criticised the “arrogance, ignorance and twisted mindset” of UK politicians towards Chinese business, as it defended British Steel’s owner Jingye. It comes after Jonathan Reynolds said that the nationalisation of the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe is the “likely option at this stage”, while stressing the need to secure a [...]
Grangemouth: Green future for oil refinery needs £3.5bn, report finds March 19, 2025 Delivering a green future for the Grangemouth oil refinery will require around £3.5bn in private investment, a report has found. The long-awaited Project Willow study, which itself cost £1.5m, sets out nine options for the future of the industrial cluster in central Scotland. Hundreds of jobs are set to be lost this year when the [...]