Energy bills threat recedes but retail and hospitality remain on brink April 8, 2026 Retail and hospitality leaders are optimistic that the Iran-US ceasefire could spare them from the worst energy bill shocks, but are urging the government to address an array of other cost pressures. British businesses had warned that the soaring energy prices caused by the war in the Middle East could be devastating if the conflict [...]
Son of world’s richest banker challenged US law firm over $35m legal bill April 8, 2026 Alberto Safra survived a bitter fight over his father’s $23bn fortune. Then the legal bill arrived, all $35m (£26m) of it. Safra, son of Brazilian billionaire Joseph Safra, now deceased, was billed over $35m for less than two years of work over a ‘bitter multibillion-dollar estate feud’ and one of the largest inheritance battles in [...]
Blue Owl Capital outlook cut to negative amid private credit woes April 8, 2026 The outlook on Blue Owl Capital’s flagship fund has been downgraded to negative by a leading ratings firm in the latest blow to the industry as it continues to be plagued by investors pulling money from funds. Moody’s Ratings changed its outlook from stable to negative after “significantly higher-than-peer redemption requests in the first financial [...]
‘I fired the board that fired me’: TGI Fridays boss on restaurant turnaround April 8, 2026 TGI Fridays had its heyday in the 1980s but slumped into administration last year. Its new boss Ray Blanchette tells Felix Armstrong the nostalgic chain can win back Britain after a period in turmoil. “I land at Heathrow and jump in a cab. The plane got in late,” says Ray Blanchette, recalling the day he [...]
National insurance and business rate hikes double fault for Queen’s Club profits April 8, 2026 Business rate hikes and increases to employer national insurance have seen profits at Queen’s Club slump by nearly 20 per cent. Hosts of the HSBC Championships – dubbed the precursor to Wimbledon – saw profits before tax fall by 17.2 per cent to £1.96m, down from £2.37m the previous year, on increased revenues of £15.5m. [...]
Jeito Capital Hits Record $1.2 Billion (€1 Billion)1 Close for Jeito II Fund to Drive Breakthrough Therapeutic Innovation for Patients April 8, 2026 This record closing is the largest raise ever achieved by a fully independent European fund dedicated to Biopharma, validating Jeito’s patient-driven investment strategy, its multidisciplinary, collaborative expertise spanning from science to commercialization of medicines, and value creation In five years, Jeito Capital has tripled its assets under management to €1.6 billion, firmly establishing itself among the top-tier global Biopharma investors Jeito II will build on Jeito I’s proven and differentiated strategy, investing in the most promising clinical Biopharma companies which address unmet patient needs and severe diseases, accelerate breakthrough therapeutic innovation, and deliver transformative benefits for patients This fundraise represents significant momentum for European Biopharma, strengthening its financial firepower and expertise to develop the next generation of global champions
House prices drop as Iran war shakes property market April 8, 2026 House prices fell in March as the uncertainty caused by the Iran war stifled the property market and spiked fears of interest rate rises. Average house prices fell 0.5 per cent last month, reversing the modest 0.3 per cent February increase, according to Halifax’s house price index. This is the latest signal that the Iran [...]
M&A in a time of geopolitical turmoil April 8, 2026 Dealmakers are being more selective and concentrating their bets to cope with AI, tariffs and instability in the Middle East, says Jerome Pottier A trillion dollars of dealmaking in under three months should feel like a boom. By the numbers, it is. Activity is up 27 per cent year on year, and the megadeal is [...]
Leon founder: Labour ‘killing’ restaurant industry April 7, 2026 The founder of fast food chain Leon has accused the government of “killing” the restaurant industry by saddling the industry with a crushing tax burden. John Vincent, who founded Leon and recently bought it back, said on Tuesday “everyone knows restaurants are done” because of the government’s treatment of hospitality. The government has faced intense [...]
Stagflation to batter UK economy as growth grinds to halt April 7, 2026 The UK economy is set to suffer from stagflation over the coming months as growth across the services sector ground to a halt in March, researchers have indicated. The war in the Middle East has brought output growth to its slowest level since last April while input price inflation hit its highest level since the [...]