Major business groups have voiced concern over the Government’s Employment Rights Bill, which is set for scrutiny in the House of Lords. The British Chambers of Commerce, Confederation of British Industry, Institute of Directors, Federation of Small Businesses and Make UK argue that the Bill, which aims to enhance workers’ rights, could “damage growth and employment, undermining the Government’s own goals.” The proposed legislation includes guaranteed hours and restrictions on zero-hour contracts, but the groups warn it may deter hiring and introduce unnecessary costs. Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith said: “The business groups are correct when they say as currently drafted, the Bill will have deeply damaging implications for the Government’s priority growth mission.” The Government maintains that the Bill represents “the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.” The Office for Budget Responsibility recently said that regulations which “affect the flexibility of businesses and labour markets” are likely to have “material and probably net negative, economic impacts on employment, prices, and productivity.”

London-based start-ups attracted £2.69bn in venture capital in the first three months of 2025, according to KPMG’s venture pulse report. While the number of deals was down from the previous three months, the overall value of funding came in at almost 90% of the £3bn raised in Q4. Nicole Lowe, UK head of KPMG’s emerging giants practice, said: “In a financial climate that is currently fluctuating on a daily basis, investors are backing companies that offer the fastest path to profitability.” Data shows that London-based VC firms collectively raised $9.9bn in 2024, with this almost double the amount recorded in 2023.

Simon Roberts, the chief executive officer of Sainsbury’s, has urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to address a tax loophole exploited by Chinese retailers, calling for measures to ensure “everyone is paying their tax wherever they’re operating from.” He warned: “If there’s a loophole here, which means that’s not happening, then that needs to be closed.” This call for action comes with British retail leaders concerned about an increase in low-value packages entering the UK market, particularly after the US Government ended a tax exemption for small imports. The British Retail Consortium has warned: “Retailers are rightly concerned we will see more traders outside the UK taking advantage of our de minimis rule to sell their displaced stock from the US, undercut domestic retailers and put consumer safety at risk.”

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has warned that changes to inheritance tax will damage the UK’s construction supply chain and could hinder infrastructure projects that ministers hope will drive economic growth. Steven Mulholland, chief executive of the CPA, said that unless changes to Business Property Relief are reversed, “we’re going to have serious, serious issues coming down the line including businesses failing.” The CPA represents nearly 2,000 firms which provide machinery for the construction industry.

Families facing losses from inherited shares may be eligible for a refund on inheritance tax due to recent stock market declines. Shaun Moore, a tax and financial planning expert at Quilter, notes that if shares are sold for less than their value at the time of death, families can reclaim the difference. Mr Moore said: “Given the recent volatility in the stock market, this relief is particularly relevant and could be music to many executors’ ears.”

Rachel Reeves is set to meet with White House officials next week, raising hopes for a UK-US trade deal. The Chancellor said: “Conversations with our US counterparts are ongoing,” as she prepares for the International Monetary Fund annual meetings. White House officials believe an agreement could be reached within three weeks, with US Vice President JD Vance expressing optimism about a “great” deal. However, President Trump remains cautious, indicating he is “in no rush” due to the revenue generated from existing tariffs. UK Government sources report that negotiations are “progressing positively,” but they are not eager to be the first to secure a deal, prioritising the right agreement over speed. Concerns have been raised by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch regarding Labour’s ties with China, which she fears could affect the trade negotiations with the US.

The value of Canary Wharf’s office blocks fell by £180m last year, with analysis showing that the office estate owned by Canary Wharf Group (CWG) saw its value fall by 4.1% to £4.2bn in 2024. This decline was not as steep as the one recorded a year earlier, when the value fell by £954m. CWG, which is owned by Canadian property investment firm Brookfield and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, said its portfolio of retail properties increased by 0.9% to £1.2bn but residential property values dropped 7.2% to £208m. Overall, the value of the entire estate fell by 1.2% to £6.8bn in 2024.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that while trade tensions have “flared” in the wake of US tariffs, there will not be a global recession. The IMF said its next growth projections “will include notable markdowns, but not recession.” Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s managing director, said: “A better balanced, more resilient world economy is within reach. We must act to secure it.”

A judge in the US has ruled that Google has a monopoly in online advertising technology. This comes after US Department of Justice, alongside 17 US states, sued the tech firm, arguing that it was illegally dominating the technology which places advertisements online. The judge said Google had “wilfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts” which enabled it to “acquire and maintain monopoly power.” Lee-Ann Mulholland, Google’s head of regulatory affairs, said the firm will appeal the ruling.