Warner Bros reopens Paramount talks as bidding war escalates February 17, 2026 Warner Bros Discovery has resumed talks with Paramount Skydance, reigniting the takeover battle with Netflix for one of Hollywood’s most sought-after studios. WBD confirmed it is entering seven days of deal discussions with the David Ellison-backed group, even as it continues to stand by its agreed $82.7bn (£60.94bn) deal with Netflix. The move follows months [...]
Businesses to rush redundancies ahead of new Employment Rights changes February 17, 2026 Businesses plan to carry out a “clean up” of redundancies by the end of the year in anticipation of the Employment Rights Act coming into force next January. The government’s plan to remove the unfair dismissal cap in its Employment Rights Act will lead to more claims, especially among higher-earning employees. To avoid expensive layoffs [...]
Is AI really to blame for Britain’s rising unemployment? February 17, 2026 Unemployment has risen to 5.2 per cent, the highest level since 2021, as the UK’s labour market continues to cool. But how much of that stagnation can reasonably be attributed to AI? The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show the jobless rate climbed in the three months to December, while the number of [...]
Brewdog faces hangover from ‘punk’ investment model February 17, 2026 Once offering a craft beer revolution to its “punk” investors, Brewdog’s likely sale has angered some of its thousands of small-scale shareholders and could see the brand’s elements be flogged off in segments. The UK’s largest independent brewer kickstarted the country’s craft beer obsession and challenged traditional financing models by offering cheap shares to consumers. [...]
Robert Jenrick clinches Treasury brief as Reform reveals ‘shadow cabinet’ February 17, 2026 Robert Jenrick will spearhead Reform UK’s bid to woo the City and project fiscal responsibility after the recent-defector beat peers to the party’s ‘shadow’ Treasury brief. The Newark MP – who defected to the Nigel Farage’s turquoise tribe in January – was unveiled as the Reform party’s ‘shadow chancellor’ as Farage appointed a host of [...]
Labour’s employment legislation and national insurance blamed for rising joblessness February 17, 2026 National insurance hikes and the employment rights act mean businesses are being forced to cut back on hiring, business leaders and analysts have said. The labour market continued to loosen at the end of last year, according to new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, with unemployment climbing to 5.2 per cent between October and [...]
Hamilton Lane’s Erik Hirsch: We’re seeing a private credit witch hunt February 17, 2026 Depending on which central banking chief you talk to, the burgeoning private credit industry is either a cause of insomnia, a “dark corner” of finance or an arcane lending practice whose participants are behaving like bankers in the run-up to the global financial crisis. To Hamilton Lane boss Erik Hirsch, though, it is simply an [...]
Milano Cortina Winter Olympics: How much is a gold medal worth? February 17, 2026 Top City insurers have revealed the value of a Milano Cortina Winter Olympics gold medal as Britain enjoys a flurry of top gongs so far in Italy. Matt Weston has picked up two gold medals in the skeleton, one of which was in the mixed team sliding event with compatriot Tabitha Stoecker. And duo Charlotte [...]
Antofagasta’s shares dip despite soaring revenue February 17, 2026 London listed Mining company Antofagasta saw its share’s dip in early morning trading despite reporting a rise in revenue, driven by increased commodity prices and booming demand. The Chilean based group recorded a 30 per cent jump in revenue to $8.6bn (£6.3bn), reflecting copper prices reaching record highs in 2025, coupled with the rising prices [...]
Debenhams shares plunge after £35m capital raise confirmed February 17, 2026 Debenhams shares plunged ten per cent in early deals after the struggling fashion group confirmed plans to launch a £35m equity raising round. The group’s board said the fundraise will allow it to complete its resurgence but the plans did little to calm investors as its share price tumbled on the Tuesday open. Debenhams Group, [...]