Hong Kong’s technology sector has enjoyed a standout presence at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, with local firms securing top industry awards and attracting strong interest from global buyers, investors and multinational brands. Led by Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and supported by the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association, ...
The cost to UK businesses of Labour’s flagship overhaul of workers’ rights has been cut by billions of pounds after ministers significantly watered down the legislation, according to the government’s own updated analysis. A revised Whitehall impact assessment published on Wednesday estimates that the Employment Rights Bill will now cost employers around £1bn, a sharp reduction from earlier projections that ...
Donald Trump has never been shy about his favourite economic weapon. In his pre-Christmas address to the nation, the US president once again made clear that tariffs remain central to his vision for American prosperity. While supporters argue that tariffs are reviving domestic industry, lifting wages and restoring economic sovereignty, critics remain unconvinced. What is no longer in dispute, however, ...
The government is expected to announce a partial U-turn on looming business rates increases for pubs within days, amid growing alarm over the financial pressure facing the hospitality sector. According to Sky News, ministers are preparing a targeted rescue package that would shield pubs from steep hikes triggered by business rates revaluations and the withdrawal of Covid-era reliefs. However, the ...
Donald Trump has launched an extraordinary attack on America’s largest defence contractors, threatening to block dividends and share buybacks unless they accelerate weapons production, as he prepares a dramatic expansion of US military spending. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president warned defence firms that he would no longer tolerate what he described as sluggish delivery ...
Berkshire Hathaway has formally drawn a line under one of corporate America’s most famous pay traditions, ending the $100,000 annual salary paid to Warren Buffett for more than four decades. Greg Abel, who took over as chief executive on January 1, will receive an annual pay package of $25 million, a sharp break from the frugal compensation model that long ...
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has secured $20bn (£15.7bn) in fresh funding, pressing ahead with its expansion plans even as its flagship chatbot, Grok, faces intensifying global scrutiny over the creation of sexualised and non-consensual images of women and children. The Series E funding round, announced on Tuesday, exceeded xAI’s initial $15bn target and attracted heavyweight backers including Nvidia, ...
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the entrepreneur behind easyJet, is offering ambitious young business owners the chance to secure up to £150,000 in funding as the third annual Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs officially open in the UK. More than 30 years after founding easyJet at the age of just 27, Sir Stelios has built an “easy” brand empire spanning more than ...
UK housebuilding has fallen to its weakest level since the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020, underlining the scale of the challenge facing ministers as they attempt to revive construction and meet housing targets. New data from S&P Global shows activity across the UK construction sector continued to shrink in December, with housing and commercial construction work both contracting at the fastest ...
Donald Trump has claimed that Venezuela will “turn over” between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States following a US-backed operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro from power. Posting on social media, the US president said the oil — worth an estimated $2.8bn (£2.1bn) at current market prices, would be sold by the US, with proceeds ...