Is AI really to blame for Britain’s rising unemployment? February 17, 2026 Unemployment has risen to 5.2 per cent, the highest level since 2021, as the UK’s labour market continues to cool. But how much of that stagnation can reasonably be attributed to AI? The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show the jobless rate climbed in the three months to December, while the number of [...]
Labour’s employment legislation and national insurance blamed for rising joblessness February 17, 2026 National insurance hikes and the employment rights act mean businesses are being forced to cut back on hiring, business leaders and analysts have said. The labour market continued to loosen at the end of last year, according to new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, with unemployment climbing to 5.2 per cent between October and [...]
Allegion (NYSE: ALLE) Reports Q4, Full-Year 2025 Financial Results, Introduces 2026 Outlook February 17, 2026 High-Single Digit Revenue Growth for the Enterprise and Continued Strength in Americas Non-Residential Quarterly Financial Highlights (All comparisons are year-over-year, unless otherwise noted) Net earnings per share (EPS) of $1.70, up 3.0% compared with $1.65; Adjusted EPS of $1.94, up 4.3% compared with $1.86 Revenues of $1,033.2 million, up 9.3% on a reported basis and up 3.3% on an organic basis Operating margin of 20.3%, compared with 19.5%; Adjusted operating margin of 22.4%, compared with 22.1% Full-Year Financial Highlights (All comparisons are year-over-year, unless otherwise noted) EPS of $7.44, up 9.1% compared with $6.82; Adjusted EPS of $8.14, up 8.1% compared with $7.53 Revenues of $4,067.3 million, up 7.8% on a reported basis and up 4.1% on an organic basis Operating margin of 21.1%, compared with 20.7%; Adjusted operating margin of 23.2%, up 40 basis points compared with 22.8% Available cash flow, which is defined as net cash from operating activities minus capital expenditures, was $685.7 million for 2025, an increase of 17.6% 2026 Full-Year Outlook Highlights Full-year reported revenue growth is estimated to be 5% to 7%, with organic revenue growth estimated to be 2% to 4% Full-year adjusted EPS is estimated to be $8.70 to $8.90 Available cash flow is estimated to be 85% to 95% of adjusted net income
The government doesn’t trust Sadiq Khan to run London’s trains February 17, 2026 The Labour government is handing control of London’s suburban rail to Great British Rail instead of TfL because they’ve seen how badly Sadiq Khan has mismanaged the tube, says Thomas Turrell GBR – Great British Rail. You’ve heard of it, you’ve probably seen the Union flag livery it’s going to be coated in, and you’re [...]
Non-cash ISA understanding low despite government push February 16, 2026 UK savers understanding of non-cash ISA products, is lower than its cash counterpart, reflecting the lack of knowledge surrounding options despite the government push to move Brits away from cash. According to the latest analysis from investment platform Robinhood, just under half of investors confirmed having minimal knowledge of how stocks and shares ISAs work, [...]
Inflation tipped to fall to year-low in boost to interest rate cuts February 16, 2026 Inflation is tipped to fall back to its lowest level for nearly a year in a busy week for UK economic data, with hopes the drop will help accelerate the Bank of England’s rate-cutting cycle. Economists are expecting the Office for National Statistics to show a sharp reprieve in the Consumer Price Index – the [...]
UK house prices stall in February after record January surge February 16, 2026 The average asking price of a house dipped by just £12 in February, pausing after the largest January jump recorded in Rightmove’s 25-year history. New listings coming to market this month are priced at an average of £368,019, compared with £368,031 in January, according to the property giant. The marginal month-on-month change follows a £9,893 [...]
Bank of England’s Mann says minimum wage rise linked to youth employment February 15, 2026 An increase in minimum pay for younger workers has led to a rise in youth unemployment, according to Bank of England rate-setter Catherine Mann, as new data shows Britain’s jobless rate for young people has climbed above the European average. The unemployment rate for 18 to 24-year-olds stood at 13.7 per cent in the three [...]
The first tech wobble of 2026 revives AI bubble fears February 13, 2026 Following a swell of AI bubble scepticism at the back end of 2025, this year’s first market wobble has arrived early, landing squarely on global tech stocks. When Anthropic released a new AI tool designed to help in-house legal teams triage agreements and draft routine responses, the reaction trickled down through law firms straight into [...]
UK innovation economy is the most under-priced asset in global markets February 13, 2026 Don’t write off Britain’s science and innovation sector. We are building global companies and attracting international attention, says Saul Klein If you listened only to the mood music in the City, you’d think the UK’s innovation story was already over. But in the week that London-founded ElevenLabs raised $500m from investors, making it the UK’s [...]