Firstgroup’s rail division exceeds expectations April 15, 2025 Firstgroup’s rail business is trading ahead of expectations despite concerns surrounding the UK government’s wide-reaching railway network reforms. The London-listed firm said on Tuesday that fees from the Department for Transport (DfT)’s contracted train operators had proved higher than previously forecast. It has also seen “strong demand” for its open access offering, run by Lumo [...]
Small firm owners are leaving the UK en masse, survey finds April 15, 2025 Small business owners up and down the country are packing their bags to escape a flurry of higher taxes, soaring costs and red tape, fresh data has found. Nearly two in five owners of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) have either left the UK or are considering an imminent departure, according to a new survey, [...]
Forget gadgets, London’s tech prowess is now all about experiences April 15, 2025 London is becoming the global testbed for a new kind of tech, and it's all about the experience economy, writes Paul Armstrong.
London Stansted – The gateway to more possibilities April 15, 2025 Many of us may currently be enjoying an Easter family holiday on a sunny beach, catching up with family or friends overseas, hitting the ski slopes one last time or sightseeing on a city break. Travel unlocks so many possibilities, whether that’s connecting with family and friends or seeing more of the world. And one [...]
All eyes on MHA as accountancy firm rings London Stock Exchange bell April 15, 2025 Accountancy firm MHA's long-awaited £271m IPO went live this morning, a minor win for both the company and the London Stock Exchange
Taking Champions Cup seriously benefits Leinster and Bordeaux April 15, 2025 It might be bizarre that, despite brilliant wins in the Investec Champions Cup for Leinster, Northampton Saints, Toulouse and Bordeaux, the next couple of hundred words will talk about the two games to come and the five previous rounds of continental rugby. Because left, ready to battle it out in the semi-finals of this competition, [...]
S&U shares slump after motor finance drags profits down April 15, 2025 Shares in specialist lender S&U dropped nearly two per cent on Tuesday after annual profits tumbled due to challenges from the motor finance scandal. Pre-tax profit for the financial year ending January 31 2025 fell to £24m, compared to £33.6m in the previous period. Impairment charges rose to £35.6m for the group, reflecting a near [...]
UK resilience buoys Robert Walters amid global hiring slowdown April 15, 2025 Recruiter Robert Walters reported a tough first quarter of 2025, amid a global hiring slowdown and persistent economic uncertainty weighing heavily on recruitment activity. The group cited a combination of cautious employer sentiment, escalating trade tariffs, and shifting economic landscape as key factors disrupting the field. Despite the broader slowdown, the UK was the group’s [...]
Income at UK fintech Wise jumps as payment volumes soar April 15, 2025 Money transfer firm Wise posted an increase to fourth quarter income driven by growth in international payments. The fintech, which enables digital payments for consumers and businesses, booked an underlying income of £350m for the fourth quarter. This was a 13 per cent increase from the previous quarter. Cross-border volumes soared 28 per cent to [...]
London’s beloved corner shops can’t survive more red tape April 15, 2025 Red tape, business rates and vape bans are at risk of pushing corner shops to the brink, writes Andrew Boff.