FTSE 100 Live: Next sales jump; GSK profit upgrade October 29, 2025 Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. If there are fears about an AI bubble, no one’s telling the folk over on Wall Street. Yesterday both Apple and Microsoft saw their stocks jump, making them both $4tn companies, joining an exclusive club of which chipmaker Nvidia is the only other member. This was the [...]
Firms brace for ‘difficult winter’ as tax burden weighs on activity October 29, 2025 Companies across the private sector are braced for a “difficult” winter as activity is forecast to downturn across UK services due to mounting tax fears, fresh research has indicated. A leading survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), considered to be one of the UK’s most influential business groups, has suggested that private sector [...]
Government-run survey casts doubt on Labour’s net zero push October 29, 2025 A government-run survey has cast doubt on Labour’s push for net zero as Brits fear that it would push up living expenses in both the short and long term. The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) own research has suggested that the government is losing the public’s faith in its mission to cut [...]
Britain is at risk of losing young founders to global rivals October 29, 2025 The UK is at risk of an exodus of entrepreneurial talent as young founders find themselves being lured away by global competitors. According to a new report from the Young Entrepreneurs Forum, Britain is losing its edge as a lucrative destination for young people to launch their startups, due to policymakers failing to address challenges [...]
Businesses put brakes on investment before Budget October 28, 2025 UK businesses are putting investment and hiring plans on ice ahead of next month’s eagerly anticipated Budget, fearful the Chancellor will squeeze business to plug the UK’s fiscal shortfall for the second time in as many years. According to a fresh poll of small and medium-sized businesses, more than four in five (84 per cent) [...]
Apple and Microsoft to join Nvidia in $4tn club amid AI market boom October 28, 2025 Apple and Microsoft are each within touching distance of a $4tn (£3.01tn) market valuation, setting the stage for a big week of earnings on Wall Street as investor confidence in AI continues to propel Big Tech stocks to new heights. Both tech heavyweights’ shares rose on Monday, leaving them less than two per cent away [...]
PwC shrinks global headcount amid $1.5bn AI drive October 28, 2025 Big Four giant PwC has shrunk its global workforce for the first time since 2010, trimming staff numbers by nearly 6,000, as the chairman cited investments in AI tools. In its annual report, published on Tuesday, PwC firms reported record gross revenues of $56.9bn for the 12 months ending 30 June 2025, marking a 2.7 [...]
Nokia shares up 20% as Nvidia takes $1bn stake October 28, 2025 Nokia shares soared as much as 20 per cent on Tuesday after announcing that Nvidia will take a $1bn equity stake in the Finnish telecoms group and partner on developing next-generation 6G and AI. The deal will see Nvidia purchase more than 166 million new Nokia shares at $6.01 each, giving the American chipmaker a [...]
Exclusive: Wembley interested in hosting NRL rugby league match in 2027 October 28, 2025 The FA has expressed interest in staging an NRL game at Wembley in 2027 after attracting a crowd of over 60,000 for last Saturday’s Test match between England and Australia, the highest ever crowd in the UK for a rugby league Ashes clash. The NRL is planning to launch its 2027 season with a so-called [...]
Paddy Power founder: Bookies ‘scaremongering’ over tax hike damage October 28, 2025 The betting sector is “scaremongering” over the potential damage of a tax raid on gambling, according to the retired co-founder of Paddy Power, who said he had led similar industry warnings of job losses and store closures before other mooted tax changes. Stewart Kenny, who served as chairman and chief executive at the Irish gambling [...]