UK economy sees fastest services orders slowdown since Liz Truss August 5, 2025 Hopes of a quick recovery to the UK economy are fading as orders in the services sector fell at the fastest rate since Liz Truss’ mini-budget in late 2022, fresh data has suggested. S&P Global’s latest composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a fall from a score of 52 in June to 51.5, which remains [...]
Losses double at global recruiter despite sales passing £2bn August 5, 2025 Losses at a UK-headquartered global recruitment giant more doubled despite its revenue passing the $3bn (£2.2bn) mark during its latest financial year. Altrincham-headquartered NES Fircroft has posted a pre-tax loss of $67.7m for the 12 months to 31 October, 2024, according to new accounts filed with Companies House. The loss comes after the business also [...]
Swissport creates 900 UK jobs as profit almost quadruples August 5, 2025 Swissport created 900 UK jobs as its profit almost quadrupled during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The Cheshire-headquartered UK arm of the aviation services giant has posted a pre-tax profit of £39.8m for 2024, up from the £10.5m it achieved in the prior 12 months. That previous figure was the first time [...]
Cut interest rates to four per cent, City AM Shadow MPC says August 5, 2025 Top economists have voted 8-1 for interest rates to be slashed by 25 basis points in City AM’s new Shadow Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Amid high inflation and falling job numbers, the Bank of England is set to face a difficult finely balanced decision on Thursday on whether to cut interest rates from the current [...]
BP shares jump after oil major ups dividend and launches buyback August 5, 2025 BP shares jumped on Tuesday despite the firm recording a hit to profit and revenue in the first half of 2025 as weaker oil prices and lower trading performance weighed on takings. The London-listed oil major posted total revenue of $95.6bn (£72bn), down from 2.7 per cent from the same previous last year, while profit [...]
London cocktail chain Simmons enters administration amid site closures August 5, 2025 London cocktail chain Simmons has entered administration after announcing plans to close at least four sites as it became the latest victim of the immense cost pressure facing hospitality firms. The upmarket bar group, which had operated more than 20 venues across the UK, has appointed advisory firm Kroll to oversee the administration, company filings [...]
Voters say Nigel Farage’s Reform is the ‘party of UK business’ August 5, 2025 Reform UK is now seen as the most pro-business party in Westminster, fresh polling produced for City AM has found, in one of the first major signs the public is warming to Nigel Farage’s economic policies. Political parties have long battled to present themselves as a pro-business party, with Labour’s Chancellor Rachel Reeves wooing company bosses [...]
Labour’s new quarry tax is rock bottom green policy August 4, 2025 A man’s freedom to fill up his quarry absent extortion must stand, writes Charlie Amos in response to Labour's expanded landfill tax.
Motor finance: Lloyds shares jump after ruling August 4, 2025 Shares in Lloyds Banking Group and Close Brothers jumped in early deals this morning after the Supreme Court’s landmark motor finance ruling last week. Lloyds shares jumped 5.5 per cent in early deals to 80p – a five-year high. Shares in Close Brothers jumped 22 per cent. Analysts at Jefferies had said Lloyds shares would [...]
High street banks lost £100bn in customer savings to rivals since 2019 August 4, 2025 High street lenders have lost the equivalent of £100bn in customer savings to online banks and building societies as they come under pressure to adapt amid a major shift in the sector, according to a report. KPMG’s latest State of the Banks report found that traditional banking groups saw their market share in deposits drop [...]