Pound tops $1.30 for first time since Trump’s election win March 18, 2025 The pound has traded above $1.30 for the first time since president Donald Trump’s November election win, as a falling dollar caused by trade war fears has proved a boon for sterling. Sterling has climbed 2.7 per cent over the last month and 6.5 per cent since its January low, reaching a fourth-month high of [...]
Bloomberg breaks record for the largest private donation to London Museum March 18, 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies has broken the record for the largest private donation to the London Museum, with a gift of £20m and a world-renowned collection of Roman artefacts. London Museum will use the money to aid its move from 150 London Wall to Smithfield market, which is currently scheduled for completion in 2026. The artefacts, which [...]
Thames Water says it has received six takeover offers March 18, 2025 Thames Water has said it has received six takeover offers and hopes to agree a deal by the end of June. The offers come in response to an equity raise process launched by the UK’s biggest water supplier last summer. Crisis-hit Thames Water has been battling to stave off nationalisation amid debts of more than [...]
Liz Kendall unveils welfare reform package aimed at saving £5bn by 2030 March 18, 2025 Liz Kendall has unveiled a major package of reforms to the UK’s welfare system with the aim of saving the government £5bn by 2030.
Could bats put East West Rail off track? March 18, 2025 East West Rail could provide a direct connection between Oxford and Cambridge for the first time, but opposition to the project is growing.
Two thirds of large UK shops to pass on higher business rates to consumers March 18, 2025 Two thirds of businesses subject to the government’s new ‘super tax’ business rate multiplier will increase prices to combat cost pressures, a survey has found. The effect would be to increase prices in flagship retail stores by around three per cent, according to High Streets UK. “[The higher multiplier] would be a disaster for jobs, [...]
Kemi Badenoch: Tories to look at ‘achievable solutions’ for clean energy March 18, 2025 Kemi Badenoch has said net zero is “impossible” for Britain to achieve by 2050 and that her party will look at “achievable solutions”. The Conservative Party leader outlined her plans for the Tories to renew their policy programme at a speech in London, as she set out her stall ahead of the May local elections. [...]
Global investors flee the US and return to UK stocks March 18, 2025 Global investors have fled US stocks at their fastest rate on record in favour of UK stocks, making their highest allocation to British equities since June 2021. UK equities were the third most overweight sector from global investors this month, beaten out only by utilities and banking stocks, Bank of America’s latest Global Fund Manager [...]
Mike Ashley-owned Frasers to cut a third of design and editorial staff March 18, 2025 Mike Ashley-owned Frasers Group may cut nearly a third of staff within its design and editorial teams, according to reports. It entered into a consultation with staff of March 7 as part of the company’s latest restructure, Retail Gazette reported. Sources told the trade publication that the redundancy process will not affect managerial roles and [...]
Trustpilot: Shares spike as review site benefits from snowballing user and business adoption March 18, 2025 Review platform Trustpilot has reported a double-digit increase in revenue and earnings as business adoption and brand awareness “fuel the flywheel”. Its share price rose more than 13 per cent in early trades. The company told markets this morning that revenue rose 19 per cent in the year ended December 31, to $210m (£161m) from [...]
