Small businesses to offload Reeves’ tax hikes onto customers March 25, 2025 Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have taken steps to combat the Chancellor’s tax hikes as they brace for further changes in Reeves’ Spring Statement. Fresh research from Grant Thornton showed 71 per cent of SMEs have formed plans to offload rising employment costs onto consumers – a 15 per cent increase from December. Almost seven [...]
Howden set to acquire consultancy Barnett Waddingham March 25, 2025 Insurance giant Howden has agreed to acquire professional services consultancy Barnett Waddingham
UK tech eyes tax moves in Spring Statement March 25, 2025 The UK’s tech sector is awaiting Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement, as businesses look for support from the government on AI investment, digitalised healthcare, and scam prevention. Industry heavyweights are urging the Chancellor to consider targeted tax incentives and upskilling initiatives. They have also called for stronger regulatory frameworks to support growth and innovation amid burgeoning [...]
Soft drinks sales pop at Irn-bru maker AG Barr and Fevertree March 25, 2025 AG Barr and Fevertree have both reported a sales boost despite increased competition in the soft drinks market. AG Barr’s share price ticked up a marginal 0.1 per cent in early trades, while Fevertree’s share price rose more than six per cent. AG Barr, which owns brands Irn-bru, Rubicon, Boost and Funkin, told markets this [...]
Will rising costs kill off Savile Row’s renaissance? March 25, 2025 On a Wednesday morning earlier this month, there was plenty of activity on the shop floor at the Georgian townhouse that plays home to Richard James’ bespoke suit-making. One staff member is on the phone discussing colours and time frames, another getting a glass of water for a customer in the changing room, and smartly [...]
Reeves will have to get real and raise taxes March 25, 2025 Despite frantic denials, the debt burden means Rachel Reeves will soon have to revisit promises she made on tax in the care-free days of opposition, says Vince Cable The Chancellor has many competing priorities on Wednesday: a big rise in defence spending; keeping the NHS afloat; honouring promises not to raise taxes on income and [...]
Will a tax raid tomorrow prove too tempting for Reeves? March 25, 2025 Emergency Budgets are a bad idea, but with the economic changing fast Reeves may not have the luxury of waiting until Autumn to raise taxes, says Tim Sarson Last autumn, after a long, long summer of speculation and rumour, our newly installed Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered what she promised would be the [...]
Property and the Spring Statement: Is anything going to change? March 24, 2025 Labour faces some tough choices with its Spring Statement: after increasing business taxes and public spending last autumn, the government now has to grapple with unhappy companies and a maxed-out credit card. The last budget was a mixed bag for the property market: there was widespread concern amongst landlords that the government would hike up [...]
BAE: UBS hikes price target to 2,450p March 24, 2025 UBS analysts have claimed that markets are failing to account for an expected jump in defence expenditure by European nations despite the recent surge in the value of weapons companies, such as BAE. In an analyst note, UBS analysts upgraded BAE’s stock price target from 1,600p to 2,450p and European weapons dealers Saab and Thales [...]
Spring Statement 2025: Reeves urged to fund Bakerloo Line and HS2 Euston March 24, 2025 London’s property sector has called on Rachel Reeves to introduce new funding models in the Spring Statement to prevent critical transport projects, such as HS2 Euston in the UK capital from stalling. The London Property Alliance, which represents real estate developers and investors, said the government “must be bold” if it wants to move forward [...]