The UK economy slowed sharply in the second quarter of 2025, with official figures confirming growth of just 0.3% between April and June, a marked deceleration from the 0.7% expansion in the first quarter. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that while the latest quarterly figure was unrevised, revisions to earlier estimates suggest growth in much of ...
Electronic Arts, the gaming giant behind FIFA / EA Sports FC, The Sims and Battlefield, is set to leave the public markets under a record-setting leveraged buyout valued at $55 billion. The deal, announced on Monday, will see EA delisted from the Nasdaq and become a privately held company under a consortium led by Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment ...
Thousands of taxpayers risk falling foul of HMRC’s rules this autumn, with two crucial deadlines approaching in October. Missing either of them could leave households facing an instant £100 fine, with penalties spiralling to as much as £1,600 for serious delays. Andrea L Richards, accountant and chief executive of Accounts Navigator, has urged individuals to act swiftly to avoid unnecessary ...
Speculation over government tax reforms is beginning to cast a shadow over the upper end of the UK housing market, according to new figures from Zoopla. The property portal reported that demand for homes priced above £500,000 has slipped by 4 per cent compared with last year, while the number of buyers searching for £1 million-plus homes has fallen by ...
YouTube has agreed to a $24.5 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit President Donald Trump filed over the platform’s suspension of his account in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot. Under the terms, $22 million will be channelled “on Trump’s behalf” to the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit that is overseeing the construction of ...
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) rejected two major settlement offers from PPE Medpro, including a complete remake of 25 million sterile gowns or a £23 million payment, Business Matters can exclusively reveal. The offers, both made on a no-fault basis, were tabled first in December 2022, then again shortly before the trial began in June 2025 — ...
The online gaming industry is undergoing significant transformation, driven largely by evolving regulatory frameworks. Both Australia and the United Kingdom are leading examples of how governments are adapting to the growing digital gaming sector. While their approaches share a common goal—ensuring consumer protection and market integrity—they differ markedly in execution. These regulatory shifts are not only reshaping operational standards but ...
The UK government has unveiled the next three train operators that will return to public ownership, as ministers push ahead with the phased dismantling of private rail franchises. The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that Greater Anglia services will be renationalised first, on 12 October 2025, followed by West Midlands Trains on 1 February 2026, and Govia Thameslink on 31 ...
Growth Lending has unveiled a £150 million strategy to support the expansion of healthcare and social care providers across the UK, pledging to deliver flexible capital to a sector grappling with rising demand and tight access to finance. The specialist lender, best known for backing high-growth B2B businesses, will target ambitious operators in social care, primary care, education, and health-led ...
Chancellor Rachel Reeves used her keynote address at the Labour Party conference to draw sharp battle lines with Nigel Farage and Reform UK, declaring them the “single greatest threat” to Britain’s way of life and living standards. In a speech heavy on rhetoric but light on new policies, Reeves sought to contrast Labour’s agenda of economic stability and long-term planning ...