OUTLOOK Insolvencies could surge as costs climb The Independent Experts have warned that the retail and hospitality sectors could see a rise in insolvencies as firms are hit by higher taxes and rising energy prices. Analysis from Begbies Traynor shows that the number...

TAX IFS warns of more tax hikes ahead The Daily Telegraph The Times Daily Express Daily Mail The Sun Rachel Reeves may need to implement further tax increases next year following a concerning growth downgrade that has left Britain on the brink of recession. Paul...

OUTLOOK Labour accused of driving the country into a recession Bloomberg The Times Daily Express Daily Mail The Guardian The Sun The UK economy is facing a recession, according to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Alpesh Paleja, the...

OUTLOOK Corporate Britain braces for takeover wave Daily Mail Corporate Britain is poised for a significant wave of takeovers in 2025, with a third of AIM companies identified as vulnerable to bids, according to Peel Hunt. The investment bank warns of "barbarians at...

OUTLOOK Manufacturing slump hits UK The Times Production in British factories has seen its steepest decline since the early COVID-19 pandemic, with the CBI manufacturing output volume index falling to -25%. Ben Jones, lead economist at the CBI, said: "Manufacturing...

OUTLOOK Business insolvencies up 13% in November City AM The Standard The Times The number of business insolvencies in England and Wales rose by 13% last month, with data showing that almost 2,000 firms collapsed in November. While November saw a month-on-month...

OUTLOOK Business confidence flat while job cuts accelerate The Times City AM Daily Mail The latest S&P Global Flash UK Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) shows that business confidence was unchanged in December, matching the 13-month low recorded in November....

EMPLOYMENT Reed: Falling vacancies may signal recession BBC News James Reed, the boss of recruitment firm Reed, says a “cooling” economy and decline in job vacancies suggests a recession may be "around the corner." Mr Reed told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura...

EMPLOYMENT SThree sees bleak outlook for job market The Times The white-collar jobs market is expected to remain down for most of next year due to economic and global uncertainties, according to Timo Lehne, CEO of SThree. The main reason for the downturn is...

REGULATION Banks exit Lending Standards Board Sky News HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group have announced their withdrawal from the Lending Standards Board (LSB), a self-regulatory body established to improve lending practices following the 2008 financial crisis. This...