The world economy is on course for its weakest decade of growth since the 1960s, according to a stark warning from the World Bank, which downgraded global forecasts and pointed to mounting turmoil in US trade policy as a key drag on recovery. In its latest Global Economic Prospects report, the Washington-based lender slashed its 2025 forecast for global GDP ...
In the buzzing bars of Seville, few scenes feel more quintessentially Spanish than a plate of freshly carved jamón ibérico. Yet even this cherished national symbol is not immune to the economic tremors caused by President Trump’s escalating trade war with Europe. A 20% tariff on Spanish ham exports to the United States, introduced in April and only temporarily lowered ...
EG Group, the petrol forecourt empire founded by billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, has reported a dramatic fall in pre-tax profits, plunging from $1.4 billion to just $10 million over the past year. The sharp decline follows the sale of the group’s UK convenience store network to Asda and further operational restructuring. Newly filed accounts at Companies House show ...
There’s something about the buzz in the room on the night of the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards that’s hard to describe. It’s not just about the champagne or the sparkle, though there’s certainly plenty of both. It’s something deeper. As Sarah Austin, Awards Director, Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards, explains, it is the sense that, for one night, British ...
Three inspirational disabled entrepreneurs have been awarded a combined £300,000 by easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou in the 17th annual Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs, celebrating innovation, resilience and impact across the UK business community. The top prize of £150,000 went to Umbreen David, founder of Hoama Group Ltd and owner of Iden Manor Nursing Home in Kent. Her vision ...
Marks & Spencer has reopened its website for online orders, nearly two months after a significant cyberattack brought its e-commerce operations to a standstill. In a statement, the retailer confirmed that a selection of its bestselling fashion ranges is now available for home delivery across England, Scotland and Wales. Deliveries to Northern Ireland are expected to resume “in the coming ...
The UK labour market suffered its sharpest decline in payroll employment since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest official data, with wage growth cooling and job vacancies continuing to fall. Figures from HM Revenue & Customs revealed that the number of payroll employees fell by just over 109,000 in May — the steepest monthly fall since ...
I’m all for a bit of back-patting. Especially when it’s well deserved, and even more so when the hand doing the patting is someone else’s. So when Press Gazette – the hallowed trade rag of media geeks and PR doyennes – recently ran a lovely write-up on the growth of Capital Business Media, I was delighted. Beaming, in fact. There’s ...
In 2025, a quiet revolution is transforming the way small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) grow and compete in the UK. This revolution isn’t being driven by cheap capital or tax cuts—but by innovation. More specifically, by the early adoption of artificial intelligence and green technologies. As inflation stabilises, consumer habits shift, and supply chains evolve post-Brexit and post-pandemic, it is ...
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the lifeblood of the UK economy, accounting for over 99% of all businesses and employing more than 16 million people. Yet for years, access to finance has remained one of the sector’s biggest obstacles—especially in a post-pandemic, high-interest rate environment. Now, one community lender based in Wolverhampton is demonstrating how the tide may be ...