Finance bosses predict sharpest hiring drop since 2020 after tariff uncertainty April 14, 2025 Finance bosses expect the sharpest decline in corporate hiring since the third quarter of 2020 as geopolitical risks escalate. A fresh report from Deloitte has showed signs of a waning job market with wage growth expect to slow from 3.6 per cent to three per cent. A net 14 per cent of chief financial officers [...]
‘It’s existential’: Unpacking a looming tax scarier than the National Insurance hike April 13, 2025 For William Fugard, chief executive and co-founder of Gusto Organic, headaches caused by issues beyond his control are an occupational hazard. The terms on which the UK decided to leave the European Union meant that – in 2019 – the cost of exporting a pallet of his firm’s premium soft drinks went from £70 to [...]
UK growth in February smashes low expectations April 11, 2025 The UK economy grew by 0.5 per cent in February, official data has shown, beating forecasters’ expectations by a wide margin. A Bloomberg poll of economists predicted growth to come in at 0.1 per cent for the month. UK GDP grew 0.6 per cent in the three months to February, the Office for National Statistics [...]
Layoffs creating bigger pool of jobseekers, recruiters say April 11, 2025 More people were added to the large pool of jobseekers in March than at any point since the pandemic, according to recruiters, as high levels of redundancies are driving a “steeper rise” in staff availability. Employers have come under greater strain in the months since Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announced a £25bn national insurance tax raid [...]
Consumer confidence flattens as recovery stalls despite wage growth April 11, 2025 Consumer confidence was flat in the first quarter of the year despite high wage growth, as economic uncertainty weighs on Brits. Overall consumer confidence rose 0.3 percentage points in the first three months of 2025, with sentiment towards the UK economy at its lowest level in over a year, according to Deloitte. “The consumer recovery [...]
Welcome to the era of the £6 pint April 11, 2025 The average price of a pint in London is set to hit £6.06, almost £1 over the national average. Our pubs urgently need business rates reform to save jobs and boost growth, says Emma McClarkin British pubs have been hit as hard as any business by the government’s economic policies, and it’s starting to cost [...]
Tesco: Supermarket giant’s profit beats City expectations but ‘trolley wars’ hit outlook April 10, 2025 Supermarket giant Tesco has beaten profit expectations as it continues to speed ahead in the competitive UK grocery market, but it warned that high competition will affect profit next year. Tesco shares slumped more than seven per cent in early deals. The UK’s biggest supermarket told markets this morning that group adjusted operating profit rose [...]
Bionow Awards honour our greatest Innovators April 9, 2025 The Bionow Awards are given to honour those most deserving for their ingenuity and dedication, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition. With a prestigious history of more than 20 years, the awards have become the leading life sciences accolades in the UK; highlighting the achievements of the sector, shining a [...]
City slashes UK growth forecasts radically in wake of Trump tariffs April 9, 2025 City forecasters have radically cut UK growth forecasts as President Donald Trump’s tariffs are widely expected to cause great damage to the global economy. Markets across Europe are sliding again today after tariffs came into effect, a clear sign that economists and investors are fearing hits to profit. New research by the polling firm Consensus [...]
Saga: Cruise demand drives double-digit profit increase April 9, 2025 Saga, the financial services and travel provider for over-50s, has reported profit ahead of market expectations, driven by demand for cruises. The company told markets this morning that underlying profit before tax for the year ended January 31 was £47.8m, up 25 per cent year on year. Revenue for the year was £588.3m, up four [...]