Pubs to open late during World Cup – a life raft for hospitality? February 24, 2026 Though the Labour government and the country’s thousands of pub landlords have very rarely seen eye-to-eye in recent months, the World Cup could bring a summer truce to this fiery dispute. Hospitality trade bodies and one of the country’s biggest pub chains have told City AM they welcome the government’s move to allow pubs to [...]
Raducanu ditches Nike after eight years to sign £2.6m deal with rival February 24, 2026 Emma Raducanu has ended an eight-year relationship with Nike to become the first female tennis player on the roster of Uniqlo. The 23-year-old former US Open champion has signed a multi-million pound deal with the Japanese casualwear brand and follows the likes of Roger Federer in ditching the “Just Do It”- famed sportswear brand for [...]
Record number of women appointed to FTSE 350 boards February 24, 2026 The UK has seen a “transformational” shift in gender diversity, with women now holding 43 per cent of board roles across FTSE 350 companies, a leap from just 9.5 per cent in 2011. The FTSE Women Leaders Review, a government-backed initiative sponsored by KPMG UK and Lloyds Banking Group, revealed that 92 per cent of [...]
Occupancy down at Unite Students, but demand surges at ‘elite’ universities February 24, 2026 Unite Students saw a slide in occupancy across its portfolio, offset by resilient demand at top elite universities. The student accommodation developer reported a 9 per cent increase in adjusted earnings to £232.3m for 2025. However, its statutory profit fell by 78 per cent due to a decline in the valuation of the property portfolio. [...]
Standard Chartered hikes investor returns despite profit miss February 24, 2026 Standard Chartered handed out bumper investor returns following its full-year results despite the London-listed bank missing its profit target pencilled in by analysts. The Asian-focused lender recorded a two per cent uptick in pre-tax profit to $814m, falling below analyst expectations of $1.1bn. The miss came as net interest income performed weaker-than-expected, slumping 12 per [...]
Money Supermarket doubles down on AI in push to placate investor fears February 24, 2026 Money Supermarket’s owner has doubled down on its commitment to AI after investor anxieties that the technology could erode its business sent the stock tumbling earlier this month. FTSE 250 firm Mony, which owns the price comparison site alongside news website Money Saving Expert and vouchers business Quidco, said it was “shifting to mandation” for [...]
Why US tech firms are circling Wales for AI investment February 24, 2026 With land, connectivity and an enabling regulatory ecosystem, Wales is now on the radar of AI investors, writes Phil Pugh.
Exclusive: Inside the plan to keep the Welsh Rugby Union in check February 24, 2026 One of Wales’s leading business figures is rallying support for a committee that would hold the Welsh Rugby Union to account amid its biggest crisis of the professional era. The Welsh Rugby Union and embattled chairman Richard Collier Keywood are facing an Extraordinary General Meeting amid a legal row over plans to reduce the number [...]
Revolut: Inside Nik Storonsky’s $75bn fintech empire still waiting for its crown February 24, 2026 In Revolut’s shiny new Canary Wharf headquarters, the command ‘Get Sh*t Done’ is bolted onto the walls. The unconventional office mantra is a stark reminder of co-founder Nik Storonsky’s acerbic, straight-talking manner that has kept the gas pumping at the UK’s most valuable fintech since it opened for business in 2015. “Whenever a target is set, [...]
Ask the expert: How should I invest if I’m worried about an AI bubble? February 24, 2026 Fidelity personal finance specialist Marianna Hunt is back on hand to answer your burning questions. This week Marianna helps a reader who is fearful of a potential tech-fuelled stock market crash. Q:I’ve built up reasonable savings in my ISA, workplace pension and SIPP. Most of my investments are in global index funds, so I’m heavily [...]