How the Budget could make your day at the football worse November 24, 2025 In the countdown to the Budget, it’s hard to escape concern from industries ranging from hospitality and retail to fintech or leisure. However, one sector which should not be overlooked is sport. Still feeling the impact from last Autumn, the sport world is readying for further impact come 26 November. And, as with any changes, [...]
Reeves delays Shein import clampdown to 2029 November 22, 2025 Rachel Reeves will wait four years before scrapping a controversial tax break that benefits low-cost foreign retailers such as Shein and Temu, hitting British high street chains who had pushed for immediate action in next week’s Budget. The chancellor has confirmed she will abolish the UK’s ‘de minimis’ rule, which exempts parcels worth under £135 [...]
Keir Starmer remains tight-lipped on stealth tax U-turn November 19, 2025 Keir Starmer refused to rule out introducing tax hikes on British workers despite being challenged on past commitments to unfreeze tax thresholds from 2028. Starmer attempted to deflect opposition leader Kemi Badenoch’s questions as she recited comments he and the Chancellor had made over the last year on pledges not to extend a freeze on [...]
Inflation stays high in pre-Budget warning to Reeves November 19, 2025 Inflation hit 3.6 per cent in the year to October, it has been revealed, in the last set of prices data Chancellor Rachel Reeves will see before a crucial Budget focused on curbing the cost of living. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said inflation cooled slightly from last month’s figure of 3.8 per cent, [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Inflation falls to 3.6 per cent, WH Smith CEO quits November 19, 2025 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Global markets downturn continued on Tuesday, with Europe left swimming in the red. The FTSE 100 closed the day down 1.27 per cent at 9,552 as the boss of Google gave the latest warning on the soaring valuation of tech stocks. Sundar Pichai, the head [...]
University tuition fee hike to prop up high inflation November 17, 2025 A rise in university tuition fees and volatile airfare prices are expected to prop up price growth as economists are pencilling in slightly lower inflation in October than in the previous month. Economists polled by Bloomberg said they expected consumer price index (CPI) inflation to reach 3.6 per cent in fresh data to be released [...]
‘Death by a thousand cuts’: Possible booze tax hike slammed November 14, 2025 The hospitality industry has slammed a possible tax hike on wine and spirits, arguing that it would be a “depressing prospect” for the struggling sector. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering a 4.5 per cent increase in taxes on alcohol in line with a higher reading of inflation, according to reports. “We’re all fed up with [...]
Rachel Reeves mulls second booze tax hike November 12, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering an increase in taxes on alcohol in line with a higher reading of inflation in a repeat of last year’s Budget, according to reports. Reeves could hike duties by the retail prices index (RPI) inflation rate in a bid to raise more cash to fill an estimated £30bn fiscal hole [...]
Princes shares jump as boss of tinned tuna giant eyes M&A spree November 11, 2025 The boss of Princes Group has laid the foundations for future deals after the firm’s admission to the London Stock Exchange helped build up its “firepower”. Simon Harrison, chief executive of Princes, said the listing marked a “milestone period” for the group and created “exciting opportunities to pursue value accretive mergers and acquisitions, in line [...]
Retailers hit by subdued October as Budget threat looms November 11, 2025 UK retailers suffered a “subdued” October as Brits tightened their pockets ahead of what is expected to be a tax-heavy Autumn Budget. Retail sales increased 1.6 per cent year-on-year but remained below the 12-month average of 2.1 per cent, marking the weakest growth since May. The new data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and [...]