Business News

UK jobless rate climbs to 5% as Iran war and Hormuz shock chill hiring

UK unemployment unexpectedly climbed to 5% as the Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz closure chill hiring, with payrolls down 100,000 in April and vacancies at a five-year low. Read more: UK jobless rate climbs to 5% as Iran war and Hormuz shock ch...

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How a 50-person start-up beat TikTok at the IPO – with Lord Sugar in its corner

An Isle of Man fintech start-up has beaten TikTok at the UK Intellectual Property Office, winning a two-year trade mark fight backed by Lord Sugar’s Trade Mark Wizards, and TikTok has been ordered to pay costs Read more: How a 50-person start-up ...

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Lloyds set to scrap Halifax brand after 173 years in major high-street shake-up

Lloyds Banking Group is reportedly preparing to retire the Halifax brand after 173 years, in one of the biggest shake-ups of the UK high street in a generation. Here is what it means for customers, SMEs and the wider banking market. Read more: Lloy...

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Natwest pledges £20bn for the North of England as banks bet on devolution to drive growth

NatWest commits £20bn over 10 years to the North of England, backing housing, transport, clean energy and devolution as Paul Thwaite makes the case for regional growth. Read more: Natwest pledges £20bn for the North of England as banks bet on dev...

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Britain’s property tax burden is now the heaviest of any major economy

UK property taxes have hit 3.7% of GDP, the heaviest burden in any major economy, with business rates revaluations putting SME investment at risk, warns Ryan. Read more: Britain’s property tax burden is now the heaviest of any major economy ...

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Barclays crowns Fractile and Isomorphic Labs in inaugural AI 100 as Britain’s tech race intensifies

Barclays Eagle Labs names Oxford chip pioneer Fractile and DeepMind spinout Isomorphic Labs among Britain’s top AI start-ups, as UK AI funding tops £8.3bn. Read more: Barclays crowns Fractile and Isomorphic Labs in inaugural AI 100 as Britain’...

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Britain’s billionaires are voting with their feet – and the rich list proves it

The 2026 Sunday Times Rich List lays bare a record wealth exodus from Britain, with one in six members dropping out, Dyson’s fortune halved and Revolut’s Nik Storonsky storming into the top 10. Read more: Britain’s billionaires are voting wit...

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JCB succession: Lord Bamford anoints younger son George as heir to £6.5bn digger empire

Lord Bamford has named younger son George as his successor at JCB, sidelining elder brother Jo and ending years of speculation over the future of Britain’s £6.5bn family-owned digger dynasty. Read more: JCB succession: Lord Bamford anoints young...

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Britain’s AI boom hits record £8.3bn as London cements European tech crown

UK AI investment hit a record £8.3bn in 2025, with London home to nearly three quarters of Britain's AI fintech firms, Barclays Eagle Labs research reveals. Read more: Britain’s AI boom hits record £8.3bn as London cements European tech crown ...

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Bookmakers ready legal challenge as Gambling Commission prepares to wave through affordability checks

UK bookmakers are preparing High Court action over the Gambling Commission's affordability checks, warning of "serious failings", lost tax receipts and a fast-growing black market. Read more: Bookmakers ready legal challenge as Gambling Commission ...

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