Budget uncertainty dampens November spending December 19, 2025 Black Friday discounts failed to significantly boost consumer spending in November, as Budget uncertainty kept shoppers away from the high street. Sales declined 0.1 per cent last month, following a 0.9 per cent fall in October, as households opted to hold off spending in the run up to Christmas and wait to see the outcome [...]
FCA probe and bonus clawbacks: WH Smith acts against former directors as North America profit plunges December 19, 2025 WH Smith’s board will trigger clawback provisions for senior executives following accounting errors woes that had resulted in a probe by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). WH Smith chief executive Carl Cowling stepped down with immediate effect last month after the report, produced by Big Four audit firm Deloitte, identified weaknesses in the operations of [...]
UK government borrowing overshoots expectations in November December 19, 2025 UK government borrowing exceeded expectations in November but still fell year-on-year after tax receipts surged following Rachel Reeves’ first Autumn Budget. The latest release from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed public sector borrowing topped £11.7bn in November. City economists expected government borrowing to come in at £10.2bn over the month. Despite this, the [...]
Chinese hustlers are taking advantage of the Cayman legal system – and British investors are paying for it December 19, 2025 Cayman Island rules are allowing Chinese swindlers to take advantage of Western stock markets, enriching themselves and leaving the losses with UK shareholders.
Newcastle Red Bulls, Dupont and ITV: Top rugby business stories of 2025 December 19, 2025 This year really has been a 12 months where the business of rugby became a major talking point in ovalball discourse. We have always seen the odd deal here or investment there but 2025 has seen a step change across the sport, and it remains to be seen how it will pan out. So here [...]
Banks to set own contactless limit as FCA scraps cap December 19, 2025 UK banks will be able to set their own contactless limits under new rules set to be introduced by the City watchdog next year. In the current system, banks place a cap on payments of up to £100 per transaction when consumers are using physical contactless cards. But changes introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority [...]
Exclusive: Google makes fresh $1bn cash injection into UK data centre subsidiary December 18, 2025 Google has poured $1bn into its UK data centre subsidiary, Morning Wire can reveal, in the clearest sign yet that the tech giant is eyeing major expansion of its compute power in Britain. The £775m cash injection was this week filed to Companies House for the same company which controls Google’s Waltham Cross data centre, [...]
AJ vs Paul: Netflix hosting amid WBD takeover a signal for sport December 18, 2025 Netflix hosting Anthony Joshua’s showdown against Jake Paul this Friday, at the same time it moves closer to a possible takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, signals something bigger than a one-night spectacle. It shows live sport is changing fast. Netflix has experimented before. Last November it reported that 60m households watched Paul’s fight with Mike [...]
Scotland fans offered World Cup ticket packages starting at £8,000 December 18, 2025 Scotland fans are being offered World Cup travel packages that include guaranteed match tickets for all three group games – starting at more than £8,000. The “Follow My Team” packages include high-end accommodation but not flights to and from the US and are being sold by Qatar Airways Holidays, the official World Cup travel provider. [...]
Premier Padel Tour heading to major London venue in 2026 December 18, 2025 The Premier Padel Tour will head to London for the first time next August as the sport continues to grow across Britain. A venue has not yet been confirmed but Morning Wire understands that Olympia in Kensington is the overwhelming favorite. It is part of a multi-year deal to bring a leg of the Premier [...]