John Lewis reinstates staff bonus but remains ‘cautious’ March 12, 2026 John Lewis has returned its staff bonus after years of its suspension, as the retail titan turned a profit but remains “cautious” in a testing retail environment. The partnership, which also owns Waitrose, made a £134m profit in the year to January 2025, up six per cent from the year before, and notched growing sales [...]
Horse racing came together to fight tax hikes. Now it must unite again March 12, 2026 The Jockey Club’s chief executive’s recent rallying cry to British horse racing was bang on, writes Ed Warner. All successful sports have tentpole events, the occasions that attract attention well beyond hardcore fanbases and which drive profits that may (although not always) provide financial scaffolding for its lesser players and promoters. The Cheltenham Festival is [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks drop as oil returns to near $100 after tankers attacked March 12, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. The price of oil shot back above triple digits this morning, rising as much as nine per cent in Asian trading following the news two tankers were struck in the Gulf. An Iraqi news agency broke the news that 38 crew members have been rescued [...]
The Capitalist: Lloyds teases wannabe buyers with ‘homebuying tasting menu’ March 12, 2026 Lloyds launches a dining special, private jets welcome puppies on board and Morning Wire takes home gold; catch up on the latest City gossip.
Closed shop? Not for long: How new laws are opening doors for trade unions March 12, 2026 The first wave of the Employment Rights Act hit the statute books last month, signalling a potential end to the decades-long decline of UK trade unions, but businesses are already feeling the turbulence, triggering a surge of work for City employment lawyers. The Employment Rights Act has caused turmoil in businesses, not just because of [...]
Mandelson files pose huge questions for Starmer March 12, 2026 What was Keir Starmer thinking? That’s not a rhetorical question; I really do want to know (because I cannot imagine) what the Prime Minister was thinking when he signed off the decision to send Peter Mandelson to Washington. It was the first week of February when, during an excruciating performance in the Commons, Starmer admitted [...]
Samsung bets on AI tools to win over stressed City workers March 12, 2026 Samsung is pitching its new Galaxy S26 range as a productivity tool for professionals who increasingly rely on one device to manage work, travel and everyday admin. The company has unveiled the S26 series, with UK vice president of product and marketing Annika Bizon describing the launch as a major step forward on hardware and [...]
The Cotswolds Distillery: Defining the brand of English whisky March 12, 2026 Whisky Business: Morning Wire’s monthly look at the world of whisky. There are currently over 60 English Whisky distilleries operating across the country in various stages of evolution. There are 38 currently producing and selling spirit, with the remainder maturing new-make spirit that’s yet to hit the market. When the Cotswolds Distillery started out in 2014, [...]
Labour workers rights reforms could backfire for young workers March 12, 2026 Labour’s employment rights reforms could damage opportunities for young workers if the new laws reduce the number of flexible, entry-level roles, the UK’s top retail trade body has warned. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on the government to ensure the implementation of its reforms, which were passed into law in December, doesn’t hamper [...]
More Brits eye investing as low-cost platforms elbow into the market March 12, 2026 The UK DIY investment market swelled last year as the rise of low-cost platforms lured more investors into taking the plunge of managing their own assets. The do it yourself market has grown 19 per cent over the past twelve months, totalling £772bn assets under administration, as 18.4m Brits ploughed capital into the market, according [...]