Travis Perkins: Profit plunges as construction industry recovery remains sluggish April 1, 2025 Travis Perkins has reported a 99 per cent plunge in operating profit in 2024, after a torrid year for the Nottinghamshire-headquartered firm. The FTSE 250 building group reported an operating profit of £2m, down from £161m in 2023, after a 4.7 per cent revenue decline. Shares in the group fell 10.4 per cent in early [...]
FTSE 100 and global markets slump and gold surges amid tariff panic March 31, 2025 The FTSE 100 dipped 0.7 per cent as markets opened on Monday, with the FTSE 250 down a further 1.28 per cent. The moves followed a sharp drop in Asian markets overnight. The Nikkei 225 plummeted more than four per cent overnight, amid a global market panic as investor and consumer confidence drops ahead of [...]
Steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal to ditch UK after non-dom crackdown March 28, 2025 Steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal is set to leave the UK, as a direct result of a government crackdown on non-domiciled residents, in favour of more tax-friendly destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Switzerland, the FT has reported. The businessman, a former Blair-era Labour donor and Sunday Times Rich List number seven, is [...]
UK car output dips as Trump auto tariffs loom March 27, 2025 Production of cars and commercial vehicles saw an alarming 11.6 per cent decline in February, according to new data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Just 82,178 vehicles were produced – a drop of 10,787 from February 2024 – in the 12th consecutive month of falling auto manufacturing output. There was a [...]
Rachel Reeves criticises deputy for ‘clumsy’ pocket money comments March 27, 2025 Rachel Reeves has criticised her deputy – Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones – for “clumsy” comments in which he compared slashing disability benefits to taking away a child’s pocket money. The Chancellor told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “No, he was clumsy in his analogy, and he’s apologised for that.” She added: “Of [...]
Trump slaps 25 per cent tariffs on all car imports March 27, 2025 President Trump announced late on Wednesday that he will impose a universal 25 per cent tariff on all car imports into the US, just hours after the Office for Budget Responsibility warned that fresh tariffs would erase Reeves’ newfound fiscal headroom. These new levies are part of a package of anti-trade measures from 2 April, [...]
Bellway’s profit jumps amid soaring output March 25, 2025 Bellway has reported a 12 per cent rise in profit, alongside a significant boost in its output – in an indication that the housebuilding sector is seeing a rebound. Profit before taxation has risen to £150.2m, from £134.2m last year. The firm reported 4,577 housing completions in the half-year to January – up from 4,092 [...]
Heathrow Airport to restart some flights following fire March 21, 2025 Heathrow Airport has announced it is able to “begin some flights later today” following a day of heavy disruption. The West London airport has been shut for the whole of Friday following a nearby electrical fire at a substation. According to the National Grid, an “interim solution” has been put in place to resupply Heathrow. [...]
PM’s spokesperson cannot confirm Heathrow will reopen by Saturday March 21, 2025 In a multi-agency call convened by the government on the ongoing Heathrow closure, Downing Street could not say with confidence that the airport will reopen at midnight – though power has reportedly been restored to Terminal 4. The West London airport has been shut for the whole of Friday following a nearby electrical fire at [...]
Passengers urged to stay home as Heathrow closed following electrical fire March 21, 2025 Heathrow airport will be closed for all of Friday, after a large electrical fire at a nearby substation. Passengers are being urged not to travel to Europe’s busiest airport, with the website FlightRadar24 reporting that at least 1,300 flights will be cancelled. In the surrounding area in West London, around 150 people have been evacuated [...]
