Aston Martin: Why going private could be the right road for luxury carmaker July 29, 2025 Luxury carmaker Aston Martin could delist from the London Stock Exchange and return to private ownership as a way to boost its balance sheet, according to an analyst. Experts at Third Bridge have said the move could have a number of benefits for the Warwickshire-headquartered brand including “improve agility, attract long-term partners, and reduce the [...]
Greggs shuts 56 stores amid ‘challenging start’ to the year July 29, 2025 Greggs has shut more than 50 stores in the first half of 2025 after reporting a “challenging start” to the year. The number of closures without relocation is up 61 per cent compared to the same period last year, while the number of net new shops opening is down 40 per cent to 31, in [...]
Barclays investment bank powers £1bn profit jump in first half July 29, 2025 Barclays rounded off the first half of 2025 with a major bump in profit as its all-important investment banking arm rallied on global markets turmoil. The FTSE 100 bank delivered a 28 per cent increase in profit before tax as it topped £5.2bn for the first six months of the year. The firm’s investment bank [...]
Soaring stamp duty costs dampen house price growth July 29, 2025 Housing market activity has surged but price growth has slowed as high costs bite into buyers’ budgets. Buyer demand rose 11 per cent and agreed sales rose eight per cent year on year but house prices grew by just 1.3 per cent, according to Zoopla’s latest house price index. Higher stamp duty costs now impact [...]
Aldi tops up wages for staff: ‘Our people are the driving force of our success’ July 29, 2025 Aldi has announced a top-up to its staff wages, retaining its crown as the UK’s highest-paying supermarket. The new minimum rate of pay, which increases to £14.33 within the M25, will take effect from 1 September this year. It further exceeds the Real Living Wage of £12.60 an hour that was set by the Living [...]
Price of fresh food pushes up Brits’ supermarket bills July 29, 2025 Higher wholesale prices for meat and tea have pushed up grocery prices at UK supermarkets, with warnings of more inflation ahead. Food inflation increased to four per cent year-on-year in July, against growth of 3.7 per cent in June and above the three-month average of 3.5 per cent. Fresh food rose in price by 3.2 [...]
Northern: Cancellations rise as train company’s profit grows July 28, 2025 Government-owned train company Northern cancelled more services as its profit rose during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The number of trains cancelled by the business increased from 7.2 per cent to eight per cent in the 12 months to 31 March, 2025, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The rise in [...]
Breadmakers Hovis and Kingsmill butter up £75m merger July 26, 2025 Bread producers Hovis and Kingsmill are set for a historic merger with their owners expected to ink an agreement after months of discussion. Kingsmill, whose immediate parent Allied Bakeries is owned by London-listed Associated British Foods (ABF), and Hovis could benefit from up to £50m of annual cost savings from a merger. The proposed agreement, [...]
Rachel Reeves urges cabinet to boost British jobs as employment slides July 26, 2025 Rachel Reeves has told cabinet ministers to ensure government contracts go to companies that will boost British workers as employment figures continue to struggle. The Chancellor, along with Chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, told their colleagues that the billions in public spending on transport and infrastructure projects must be utilised as an [...]
Why on earth isn’t the pensions commission considering the triple lock? July 25, 2025 The triple lock is a glaring omission from the scope of the newly announced pension commission, says Jamie Jenkins There is much to cheer with the formation of a second pensions commission. The Pension Schemes Bill sets out the strategic direction for retirement saving over the next five years, and the Pensions Commission is largely [...]