OUTLOOK Reeves rejects £50bn 'black hole' claims BBC News Daily Mail Rachel Reeves has rejected forecasts of a £50bn "black hole" in the public finances, telling the BBC that the National Institute of Economic and Social Research think-tank had "more than most got...

TAX Banks face tax hit, economists warn City AM Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics, believes that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could target banks as she looks to boost Government finances in the Budget, warning: "We suspect households and banks...

OUTLOOK Manufacturing output hits three-month low City AM Manufacturing output in the UK fell to a three-month low in August, according to the latest purchasing managers' index (PMI) data from S&P Global. The index recorded a reading of 47, indicating a downturn...

OUTLOOK UK business leaders see cautious optimism The Times Business leaders in the UK are cautiously optimistic about economic growth, according to the Institute of Directors (IoD). The IoD's optimism index improved to minus 61 in August, its highest since last...

OUTLOOK Business confidence improves despite pessimism over economy Daily Mail Economic optimism among British businesses declined in August, falling three points to 44%, according to the Lloyds Business Barometer. But business confidence rose slightly to 54%, driven...

EMPLOYMENT UK unemployment rate set to rise Daily Mail The UK's unemployment rate is projected to reach 5% by August, according to the Resolution Foundation. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported a current rate of 4.7%, matching the previous quarter's...

REGULATION Businesses brace for fraud crackdown City AM British businesses must prepare for significant changes as the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) gains new powers under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCT) starting 1 September. Companies with over...

EMPLOYMENT Gender pay gap has been underestimated The Guardian The I Research published in the British Journal of Industrial Relations reveals that the UK's gender pay gap has been underestimated for over 20 years. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) failed to...

OUTLOOK Trump hits UK business with stealth tariffs The Sunday Times The US Government has stunned British manufacturers by imposing stealth tariffs of up to 25% on more than 400 new product categories entering the US. The move was slipped out by the Department of...

TAX Stealth raid could add £7k to tax bills City AM Britain’s high earners would see thousands added to their tax bills if Chancellor Rachel Reeves opts to extend the freeze on income tax thresholds in the Budget. Analysis from wealth manager Rathbones shows that...