World-leading office demand and a severe supply crunch meet in London October 30, 2025 New research shows that London is the most attractive European city for commercial office investment, but its future is under threat from a lack of construction. Central London has the lowest vacancy rate among international peers – two thirds lower than Manhattan’s – demonstrating continued global appeal, according to the London Property Alliance. Prime rents [...]
Pension tax grab could threaten retirement for millions October 30, 2025 A potential raid on pensions in the upcoming November Budget could cause pension funds to lose billions, threatening businesses and the retirement outcome for millions of Brits. UK pension funds could suffer a £50bn loss over the next five years if the Treasury decides to slash pension tax reliefs, according to analysis from wealth manager [...]
War of words heats up as private credit bosses round on banks October 29, 2025 The war of words between banks and private credit ratcheted up on Wednesday, after a trio of bosses from private lenders rounded on claims their industry played a pivotal role in a string of recent debt-related collapses, branding it “misinformation”. During a fiery evidence session in the House of Lords, executives from alternative investment giants [...]
Mortgage lending hits highest level since March amid pre-Budget rush October 29, 2025 Net borrowing of mortgage debt rose to the highest level since March this year, money and credit statistics published by the Bank of England have shown, in signs that Brits are rushing to buy homes before any new property taxes are announced at the Budget. Net borrowing rose by £1.2bn to £5.5bn while mortgage approvals [...]
Autumn Budget: Rachel Reeves pledges to beat ‘gloomy’ economic forecasts October 29, 2025 Rachel Reeves has insisted that the UK can overcome bleak forecasts that look set to box her into manifesto U-turns and further tax hikes. The Chancellor wrote in The Guardian that she is “determined not to simply accept the forecasts”, pointing to interest rates cuts and trade deals as examples of Britain on the right [...]
Reform pledges £9bn welfare savings as Tories urged to apologise October 29, 2025 Reform UK has laid out a smaller savings package on disability payments than one planned by the Tories as opposition parties vie to gain credibility on welfare reform. Reform UK’s Lee Anderson, the party’s spokesman for welfare, set out plans on curbing personal independence payments (Pips) for under 25-year-olds and for people with “non-major anxiety”. [...]
An overlooked sector that could drive UK growth? The beauty industry October 29, 2025 The recent listing of the Beauty Tech Group is just one sign of the beauty industry's growth-driving potential, writes Millie Kendall.
Autumn Budget: Reeves must avoid tax encore for retail, HMV boss warns October 29, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget, City Reporter Samuel Norman sits down with top industry names for a Budget Briefing. This week, chief executive of HMV joins a chorus of warnings to give the retail sector some reprieve. As high street music retailer HMV breezes into the all-important golden quarter, boss Phillip Halliday is eyeing a chart-topper [...]
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 [...]