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US activist investors ramp up attacks on UK companies

January 5, 2025

US activist investors ramped up their attacks on UK companies in 2024, with British firms continuing as the top target for investor campaigns in Europe. 42 per cent of all activist campaigns in Europe targeted the UK, with 59 companies coming under pressure throughout the year, according to Alvarez & Marsal’s latest Activist Alert Outlook. [...]

Amazon broadband coming to the UK in challenge to Elon Musk’s Starlink

January 5, 2025

Amazon has announced its plans to enter the UK’s broadband market, intensifying its long-standing rivalry with tech tycoon competitor Elon Musk and his satellite internet constellation, Starlink. Through its Project Kuiper initiative, the tech giant revealed its intentions to provide high-speed internet to homes, businesses and government customers across the UK. The move, which was [...]

Group hits Shein with labour abuse dossier ahead of Select Committee

January 5, 2025

Shein has been provided with a dossier of evidence alleging supply chain abuses ahead of its appearance before a Select Committee on Tuesday.

Keir Starmer hits back at Elon Musk on grooming gang claims

January 5, 2025

Keir Starmer has hit back at Elon Musk today after a series of attacks from the Tesla tycoon over the government’s handling of historic ‘grooming gang’ sex abuse cases. In a press conference today, Starmer said an online debate about child sexual exploitation gangs was based on “lies” and those fanning the flames were not [...]

Renais: Gin brand co-founded by Harry Potter star Emma Watson raises £5m

January 5, 2025

The luxury gin brand co-founded by Harry Potter star Emma Watson and her brother has raised almost £5m. Renais Gin, which was launched in May 2023, has secured £4.95m on the back of expanding into the US last year. The spirit is now sold in 11 countries while the company has distribution deals agreed with [...]

UK firms shed jobs at fastest rate in three years amid payroll hikes

January 5, 2025

Weak demand and higher payroll costs have led to the steepest decline in service sector jobs since January 2021, according to a new survey. Nearly a quarter of survey respondents reported a fall in workforce levels, while 12 per cent signalled a rise, data from the S&P Global UK Services PMI showed. “Service providers widely [...]

Lloyd’s of London insurer snubs the City with New York IPO plans

January 5, 2025

A Lloyd’s of London insurer has dealt a fresh blow to the City by snubbing the London Stock Exchange in favour of New York for its planned IPO, piling fresh pressure on the capital’s bourse after it shrank at the fastest pace on record last year. Aspen Insurance, an underwriting firm which operates out of [...]

Premier League betting wins force Stanleybet into the red

January 5, 2025

Betters winning big on Premier League football match results contributed to Stanleybet entering the red, it has been revealed. The Liverpool-headquartered company said a “sustained period of player-friendly sports results”, from the start of the 2023/24 football season, impacted its finances alongside online promotional activity. It added that Stanleybet was one of a number of [...]

UK funding for AI startups surges but still lags behind US

January 5, 2025

AI startups captured 25 per cent of all UK venture capital funding in 2024, totalling $15.9bn (£12.8bn) – a sharp rise from $3.1bn (£2.5bn) four years ago. Balderton Capital’s latest data shows that 2024 was the second best year on record for AI investment in the UK. The sector’s value has more than doubled in [...]

Buy IAG and sell Wizz Air says broker as British Airways takes off

January 5, 2025

Analysts have backed British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) while warning investors away from budget airline Wizz Air in 2025. Panmure Liberum analysts picked IAG shares as their ‘most preferred’ stock within transport, with a target price of 500p compared to its current 287p share price. IAG was the best performing FTSE 100 [...]

H Samuel and Ernest Jones owner cuts loss despite £40m sales hit

January 5, 2025

The company behind high street jewellers H Samuel and Ernest Jones significantly cut its loss despite sales falling by almost £40m during its latest financial year. The Birmingham-headquartered business has reported a pre-tax loss of £483,000 for the year to 3 February, 2024, down from the £8.9m loss it posted in its prior 12 months. [...]

Brits buy 50m Aldi mince pies as budget grocer hails ‘best Christmas ever’

January 5, 2025

Aldi has recorded its best festive season ever in 2024, with sales topping £1.6bn in the month before Christmas. Sales at the grocer grew 3.4 per cent year on year, while its seasonal offering rose 10 per cent and its premium range jumped by 12 per cent compared to 2023. Aldi UK’s chief executive officer, [...]

Rolex Price Hikes 2025: What They Mean for Collectors and Buyers

January 5, 2025

The watch community has long speculated about whether Rolex would raise its prices in 2025, and now the answer is clear: yes, they have. The adjustments span across nearly all collections, from the utilitarian Submariner and GMT-Master II to the elegant Day-Date and Datejust. While some increases are modest, others are significant—particularly for models featuring [...]

Arnold Schwarzenegger-inspired Ultimate Performance receives boost

January 5, 2025

Ultimate Performance, the gym and personal training chain inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger, received a £1m boost ahead of selling a stake to a private equity firm. The Manchester-headquartered upmarket health and fitness group has reported a pre-tax profit of £1.7m for the year to 31 March, 2024, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House. The new [...]

'Thinking Bitcoin': Michael Saylor Speaks as BTC Maintains $98,000 Price

January 5, 2025

U.Today - As 2025's start gets underway, Michael Saylor, executive chairman and co-founder of MicroStrategy, has revealed the key thing he's thinking of. In a tweet, Saylor wrote,...