High energy prices make the UK ‘vulnerable’ US ambassador warns November 5, 2025 The US ambassador to the UK has warned Britain’s sky-high energy prices threaten to undermine its status as a major global economy. Speaking at an event at the Savoy Hotel on Wednesday, Warren Stephens described UK energy prices, which are among the highest in the world, as the “chief obstacle” to growth. “Energy costs in [...]
GSK shares jump as profit upgrade defies tariff gloom October 29, 2025 Shares in GSK climbed as much as three per cent to 1,705p on Wednesday morning as the pharma giant defied tariff fears with an upgrade to its profit guidance. The London-based business said it now expects turnover to increase by six to seven per cent for the full year 2025, up from its previous guidance [...]
Ministers planning drug pricing shake-up to stem pharma exodus October 8, 2025 Ministers are drawing up a radical overhaul of NHS spending rules in a bid to shore up the UK’s world-leading life sciences industry after a string of pharma giants cancelled major UK investment projects. In what would amount to one of the largest shake-ups of NHS drug purchasing rules in recent history, the Prime Minister [...]
GSK shares rally as chief Emma Walmsley to exit after eight years September 29, 2025 The chief executive of pharmaceutical giant GSK has announced plans to step down from the company at the end of the year. Emma Walmsley, who took the helm of the drugmaker in 2017, will be replaced by chief commercial officer Luke Miels. Miels – the former Executive Vice President of Astrazeneca – also joined the [...]
Trump slaps 100 per cent tariff on imported drugs September 26, 2025 US President Donald Trump announced a new round of tariffs on Thursday evening, with the pharmaceutical industry expected to be the hardest hit. Trump revealed that the US will impose a 100 per cent tariff on imported branded drugs, a 25 per cent tariff on all heavy-duty truck imports, a 50 per cent tariff on [...]
Mounjaro sales help almost double Ely Lilly’s UK turnover September 18, 2025 The sale of weight loss drug Mounjaro has boosted the UK turnover of pharmaceuticals giant Eli Lilly by 90 per cent during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The division of the US group has posted a turnover of £889m for 2024, according to new accounts filed with Companies House. The new total [...]
GSK plots $30bn investment into US in latest blow to UK’s pharma sector September 17, 2025 GSK has unveiled a new plan to spend $30bn (£22bn) on research and manufacturing facilities in the US. The London-based business said the capital would be deployed over the next five years and would create hundreds of high-skilled American jobs in areas such as AI and advanced digital technologies. The investment of £4.4bn per year [...]
Week in Business: Businesses flee high-tax Britain September 11, 2025 On the same day that Reeves said "there's no growth without investment", a pharma giant pulled its £1bn London investment plans.
Merck warns UK is ‘not internationally competitive’ as it scraps £1bn London research centre September 10, 2025 Merck has pulled out of a planned £1bn London drug research centre in the latest blow to the government’s growth agenda. The US pharma giant is to lay off 127 staff alongside abandoning the construction project, which had been set to open in King’s Cross in 2027. The firm warned the UK would lag behind [...]
Trump tariffs: FTSE 100 holds steady as pharma and metals brace for levies July 9, 2025 The FTSE 100 opened 22 points up this morning, despite threats of pharma and metals tariffs with stark implications for major stocks on the blue chip index. President Trump has said that an announcement is coming “very soon” on pharmaceutical tariffs – with a possible 200 per cent rate landing in “about a year”. Major [...]