Spire Healthcare shares plunge as group warns of cost hit despite NHS demand March 6, 2025 Shares in NHS private healthcare provider Spire Healthcare plunged by nearly a quarter in early deals this morning after the company warned that higher costs could cut earnings by as much as 10 per cent. The company said it faced a £30m hit to earnings before interest, tax, deprecation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the year [...]
Entain: Ladbrokes owner’s profit jumps thanks to online revenue growth March 6, 2025 British bookmaker Entain has reported a 12 per cent jump in annual profit as it returned to organic growth. The expansion was driven by online expansion and a better-than-expected performance at its UK and Ireland businesses. The Ladbrokes owner told the market on Thursday that earnings before interest, tax, deprecation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 12 [...]
ITV: Digital expansion delivers growth March 6, 2025 ITV has reported strong profit growth in 2024, driven by strategic execution and continued digital transformation as the firm successfully navigated industry challenges. Record profits in ITV studios, strong digital performance on ITVX, and cost efficiencies drove higher margins and profitability. The TV giant told the market on Thursday that adjusted earnings before interest, taxes [...]
Rachel Reeves calls for action to break down gender barriers to boost growth March 6, 2025 Ahead of International Women’s Day, chancellor Rachel Reeves has called for urgent action to dismantle barriers preventing women from reaching leadership positions. Her comments follow the release of new research from Vodafone, which found that over a third of women still see gender as a barrier to career progression. “The UK is leading the charge [...]
CMA clears probe into Microsoft’s OpenAI investment March 5, 2025 After months of scrutiny, Microsoft’s $13bn (£11bn) partnership with OpenAI has been cleared by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The antitrust watchdog ruled that Microsoft‘s investment did not meet the threshold for a full-scale merger investigation, despite concerns over the tech giant’s influence on the AI startup. The CMA acknowledged that Microsoft gained [...]
Judge rejects Elon Musk’s bid to block OpenAI’s for-profit shift March 5, 2025 A US court has denied Elon Musk’s request to stop OpenAI from transitioning into a for-profit firm, a significant setback for the billionaire behind X. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled on Tuesday that Musk had not met the necessary criteria for a preliminary injunction. She cited “the public interest at stake and potential for [...]
Cracks appear in the AI boom as market reassesses growth prospects March 5, 2025 The optimism surrounding AI is facing scrutiny as investors and industry leaders reassess the long term profitability of AI-related infrastructure. Recent stock market trends suggest a shift away from the AI sector, with semiconductor and cloud computing stocks among the worst performers in 2025 so far, according to AJ Bell. AI hype faces a reality [...]
Flutter Entertainment posts strong growth despite challenging sports results March 5, 2025 Flutter Entertainment, the world’s largest online sports betting and gaming operator, has reported an uptick in revenue and earnings despite setbacks from unfavourable sports outcomes. The company’s revenue jumped 14 per cent in the fourth quarter, driven by strength in its UK and Ireland markets and the US. Flutter posted revenue growth of 20 per [...]
AI and hybrid patterns set to determine the future of work March 5, 2025 Rising employment costs have driven many UK businesses towards investing in AI instead of hiring new employees, while workers are resisting efforts to increase office mandates in favour of working from home (WFH). New research from Linkedin and Pleo has revealed the tension between using AI as a cost-saving tactic, and the need for meaningful [...]
UK’s ‘AI divide’ puts economic growth at risk, warns Microsoft March 5, 2025 A growing divide between UK leaders who do and don’t leverage AI could threaten the country’s economic potential, and the efficiency of its public services. According to a report from Microsoft, businesses and public sector organisations with clear AI strategies are significantly outperforming those without, highlighting an urgent need for broader adoption of AI driven [...]
