UK services sector in ‘fragile recovery’ as employment fears linger June 23, 2025 The UK services sector expanded in June, despite tax hikes and a drop in employment across the UK economy, new figures have suggested. The double whammy of President Trump’s tariffs and Chancellor Reeves’ tax increases in April lowered confidence levels among businesses, with official data showing the UK economy contracted by as much as 0.3 [...]
Spectris agrees to £3.8bn takeover but KKR threatens bidding war June 23, 2025 Industrial group Spectris has agreed to a £3.8bn takeover by US private equity Advent but a bidding war could be brewing as KKR mulls a rival offer. The FTSE 250 firm has been valued at £37.73 per share in the deal. Shares jumped 13.5 per cent as markets opened on Monday to around 3,726. Private [...]
Nigel Farage reveals one-off £250,000 non-dom payment plan June 23, 2025 Nigel Farage has announced a £250,000 one-off “landing fee” for a ‘Britannia Card’ for non-doms to qualify for tax exemptions, in a push to stem the growing exodus of high net worth individuals from the UK. The policy would enable a Robin Hood-style direct payment to the lowest paid – directly to their bank accounts, [...]
Brent crude could hit $110 if oil flow through Strait of Hormuz halved June 23, 2025 Oil prices could surge to new highs, Goldman Sachs has warned, after the US attacked three sites in Iran spiking fears that a crucial Iranian-controlled waterway could be disrupted. The price of Brent crude oil spiked 5.7 per cent in the aftermath to $81.40 a barrel – marking a five month high. Prices later gave [...]
Top private school faces job cuts after Reeves’ tax grab June 21, 2025 A prestigious private school has said it may be forced to make job cuts due to the Labour government’s removal of VAT exemption on school fees. Edinburgh-based Fettes College – where former Prime Minister Tony Blair is among alumni – has said the introduction of VAT on school fees contributed to the “difficult” decision to [...]
Government’s £4.4bn gain on ‘shares tax’ puts investors on edge June 20, 2025 Investors have stepped in to provide the government with a cheap fix after receipts from the ‘share tax’ grew to £4.4bn amid fears it was harming London’s capital markets. Rachel Reeves has spoken about her desire to boost the UK’s retail investment culture as part of her drive to deliver higher growth and yield more [...]
Indian minister: Brits better off flying to India than relying on NHS June 20, 2025 India’s commerce minister has said that there are instances where Brits would be better off hopping on a flight to India than braving NHS treatment. In a discussion with Science Museum chief Sir Ian Blatchford at the India Global Forum (IGF) conference, Piyush Goyal said the UK should be more open to cooperation with India [...]
Retail and construction lead insolvencies as UK firms in ‘perilous position’ June 20, 2025 Wholesale and retail traders and construction firms accounted for nearly a third of all insolvencies seen in the 12 months to April. Data published by the Insolvency Service has pointed to a further concerning trend in the UK economy as the number of companies insolvencies in May grew eight per cent month-on-month. The number of [...]
Government borrowing surges in May to fund Labour’s spending June 20, 2025 Government borrowing in May surged to £17.7bn, official data has shown, reflecting the government’s need for cash to fund Labour’s spending splurge. This represented the second-highest May borrowing figure since records began more than 30 years ago and higher than the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast. Fresh data published by the Office for National [...]
Alarm bells as retail sales suffer largest fall in 18 months June 20, 2025 UK high streets suffered from post-Easter fatigue among shoppers as official data showed retail sales dropped by 2.7 per cent in May. The Office for National Statistics said a fall in sales in May represented the largest month-on-month drop since December 2023. A Bloomberg poll of economists expected retail sales to drop by 0.5 per [...]