Declining patent filings show Britain has stopped innovating April 3, 2026 There are lots of ways to measure innovation, but if we go by patent filings, it's a sorry image for the UK, writes Ayushma Maharjan.
Bank of England: Businesses sharply raise inflation expectations April 2, 2026 Businesses’ inflation expectations shot up in March according to a closely-watched Bank of England survey, as bosses braced for a surge in energy costs as a result of the Iran war. The Banks’ decision makers’ panel, a monthly poll of thousands of execs, found that the average expected inflation rate in the next year was [...]
Revolut slapped with eight-figure fine in Italy over misleading customers April 2, 2026 Revolut has been slapped with a fine by the Italian competition watchdog after the firm was accused of misleading customers over its fees and terms of its investment products. The London-based fintech giant is expected to cough up €11.5m (£10m) after the Italian regulator found advertisements that implied customers could trade with 0 per cent [...]
Tax instability drives ultra-wealthy to pack their bags April 2, 2026 Tax instability has driven huge swathes of the UK’s ultra-wealthy to consider leaving the country over the past twelve months. Two-thirds of the UK’s wealthiest have mulled fleeing the country for tax reasons, according to the latest research from accountancy firm BDO. But while conversations surrounding tax have focused on the rate Britain’s wealthiest pay, [...]
Farage slammed over pledge to keep ‘unsustainable’ triple lock pension April 2, 2026 Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has come under fire after committing to maintaining the triple lock pension, the financial mechanism that ensures pensioners’ earnings are increased by whatever is higher out of inflation or wage growth even in times of economic crisis. In a press conference on Thursday, Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said pensioners were worried about [...]
‘Ridiculous’: Torsten Bell under fire over pension schemes bill April 2, 2026 London’s pension industry is in uproar over government proposals to keep what is known as ‘backstop power’ over the precise level of investment from funds in specific UK assets. Torsten Bell, the pensions minister, has become the focus of anger at Whitehall’s attempts to exert a degree of control over where some of the biggest [...]
Thames Water could dodge fines under controversial new Ofwat deal April 2, 2026 Ofwat is preparing a controversial new deal with the UK’s largest water company which would allow the beleaguered utility firm to avoid any new fines over the next four years in exchange for a commitment to invest new cash in the business. The sector regulator is planning to accept “undertakings” in place of financial penalties [...]
Jim Ratcliffe backs Tory pledge to slash net zero tax April 2, 2026 Sir Jim Ratcliffe has joined a number of manufacturing bosses in support of a Tory pledge to axe carbon taxes levied through a trading scheme critical to the government’s net zero efforts. In a joint release between the Conservatives plus the Ineos chief and other industry bosses, the Kemi Badenoch’s party said it would save [...]
Speedy Hire shares tumble as firm sounds alarm on ‘worsening conditions’ April 2, 2026 Speedy Hire shares tumbled on Thursday after the tools and equipment hire services company slashed its profit expectations and warned “conditions have worsened” in the market. The London-listed firm said it now expects pre-tax earnings of £90m in 2026, down from £97m the previous year. “Market conditions have worsened…with uncertainty around the UK Budget in [...]
Oil soars as Trump vows to hit Iran ‘extremely hard’ April 2, 2026 The price of oil has spiked by over 7 per cent following Donald Trump’s vow to keep hitting Iran ‘extremely hard’ over the next few weeks, in an address to the nation. After a 17-minute speech on Wednesday evening, which failed to reassure global markets, Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, jumped 5 per cent [...]