Bunzl: FTSE 100 giant hit by Rachel Reeves’ tax grab August 26, 2025 Profit at distribution titan Bunzl took a hit in the first six months of 2025 as challenging economic conditions weighed on the firm’s books. The FTSE 100 giant’s adjusted operating profit came in at £404.5m for the half, an 11.2 per cent drop from £455.5m for the same period the year prior. Despite this shares [...]
Business rates ‘double whammy’ to cost English companies billions August 26, 2025 Businesses in England are to face an “unavoidable double hit” to their property tax payments next year, which will see total payments surge by about £2.5bn, according to new figures. Analysis from global tax firm Ryan indicated that inflation and a government tax change will combine to drive up business rates bills further. Business rates [...]
Food inflation jumps to 18-month high as chocolate and butter prices rise August 26, 2025 Food prices have risen at their fastest pace for 18 months amid surges in the cost of chocolate, butter and eggs, latest figures show. Food inflation lifted to 4.2 per cent this month from per cent in July, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-NIQ Shop Price Monitor. It marked the highest level since February [...]
Beware calm markets. Smooth waters don’t always signal safety August 26, 2025 As US markets prove resilient to tariff chaos, Fabio Bassi pleads a note of caution. As sailors know, calm waters don't always signal safety.
Business secretary to meet JCB boss after concerns raised about US tariffs August 25, 2025 Jonathan Reynolds will meet the boss of JCB after the company was among those which raised the alarm about the impact of new US tariffs on British businesses. JCB chief executive Graeme Macdonald called on the UK Government to get a “deal done quickly” with the US on steel, after hundreds of British goods became [...]
Hospitality bears brunt of job losses since October budget as costs rocket August 25, 2025 Over half of all job losses in the UK since last October’s budget have been in hospitality as the sector struggles under the weight of rising costs, according to new data. Of the 164,641 job losses in the UK since the Budget last October, almost 89,000 have been lost in hospitality. The scale of job losses [...]
Thousands of pensioners overcharged £10,000 on pension withdrawals August 25, 2025 Thousands of pensioners have claimed back more than £10,000 after being overcharged tax on their pension withdrawals, new analysis shows. A handful of people in the UK were given a refund worth more than £100,000. The HMRC figures, which were obtained by Royal London through a freedom of information (FOI) request, show an increase in [...]
Why now is the time for a fabulously solo Maldives holiday August 22, 2025 Synonymous with romantic escapes, the Maldives may not be the first choice for a solo endeavour, yet hurtling towards 40 and the kind of long-term single that would put Bridget Jones to shame, I decided to stop waiting for Mr Right to accompany me to paradise and take myself instead. Determined not to let bucket [...]
My favourite Nasdaq-listed, Chinese-owned, Cayman-incorporated Scottish castle August 22, 2025 A question: what’s the fastest-growing hotel group in Britain? You might opt for Premier Inn, the Whitbred-owned budget chain that’s set to open more than 1,000 new rooms this year. A wildcard choice might be Yotel, the group set up by Yo! Sushi man Simon Woodroffe that’s ballooned from a single site in 2007 to two dozen [...]
Borough wars: London’s e-bike chaos is hurting its commuters August 22, 2025 It’s an e-bike apocalypse out there, or at least it is if you’re trying to cross West London on two wheels. Hounslow Council’s recent decision to ban Lime, the capital’s most ubiquitous e-bike operator, has turned London’s meticulously planned cycle routes into a geopolitical minefield. The capital’s commuters are now finding themselves stranded at borough [...]