Friday 29 January 2016 3:48 pm

From Tesco and the death of the Defender to MBAs and Donald Trump: Here’s what got us talking this week

HSBC celebrated the first pay day since Christmas by going offline (again). We learned that there are just 12 special words in every job interview. And everyone who wasn't 29 years old questioned this study.

Here's what got us talking

1) You're not imagining it

Yes, it's true: those commuting into London really do have it the worst. Southern, Southeastern and Thameslink, we're looking at you. We've got so used to poor services that one MP has even said we should thank train firms when they are on time. But there is a solution (or three) that operators might want to think about.

2) Tesco was up to no good

That's the verdict from the Groceries Code Adjudicator, who gave the supermarket a slap on the wrist (but crucially, no fine) for its behaviour towards suppliers. It doesn't come at a great time for the business, which is yet to shrug off the accounting scandal of 2014 – though it has come some way – and the feeling is the sector as a whole is playing fast and loose with decent business practices. But Tesco is, at least, trying to get better and win back customers – with new strategies including shutting some of its 24-hour stores to focus on other things that their shoppers really do want.

3) Think you don't need an MBA because you're not in finance?

You might want to think again if you're in tech.

4) Something was happening in south London

Specifically schools in Merton, where there appeared to be five separate bomb threats in the space of three days. There were also at least six threats in the Midlands, following on from four the week before. While it's not clear exactly what's happened, police are clear that they were all hoaxes. Someone really doesn't want to go to school.

5) The death of the Defender

We mourned the loss of the Great British car – but we rallied at the thought that there might be another one just around the corner.

Leisurely Reads

Saudi kingdom under stress from cheap oil

No-one thought oil prices would stay this low, for this long. When the price of Brent crude first halved to $50 a barrel in June 2014, most commentators thought it would be back up again by Christmas. Read more.

Charts of the Week

January transfer window 2016: Who has spent the most on new signings? All the done deals and business so far

Great reads from elsewhere

Metro Bank's Vernon Hill is not afraid of the odd bit of motivational speaking. This FT article gives us some great quotes like how he reminds his staff that the bank has "FANS! Not customers!" … and other insights.

In a world of hacking, surely your own mind is the final frontier? This neuroscientist did exactly that – and almost lost his mind.