Crest Nicholson shares slump as lender talks drag on July 16, 2026 Crest Nicholson shares dropped after the housebuilder posted a £35m loss and told investors it is still locked in talks with its lenders. The London-listed firm had delayed the publication of its results in the hopes of seeking emergency permission from its creditors to loosen the terms of its debt, but said on Thursday that [...]
There’s a 45 per cent chance this op-ed was written by AI July 16, 2026 Emma Divers was trained to write using the technique now being flagged by AI detectors. She says the AI crackdown could become a witch hunt.
PwC slapped with multi-million fine for audit failures at FTSE 100 firm Babcock July 16, 2026 Big Four giant PwC and a former partner have been fined over £5.5m for the audit failures of London-listed engineering giant Babcock International. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) issued disciplinary action against the firm and its audit partner, John Waters, following numerous serious audit breaches during the financial years 2019 and 2020 audits of the [...]
Ocado boss Steiner ‘energised about future’ despite succession battle July 16, 2026 Ocado boss Tim Steiner has insisted he is “as excited and energised” about the firm’s future following a battle over his succession which will see him depart in around 18 months. The co-founder and chief executive of the FTSE 250 firm is expected to step back from his current role as soon as December 2027 [...]
Foxtons shares tumble as estate agent takes £3m knock from Renters’ Rights Act July 16, 2026 Foxtons shares have tumbled after the firm said it took a knock of as much as £3m from the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act, amid a sharp uptick in tenancy terminations. The Act abolished fixed tenancy terms and increased tenant flexibility to terminate tenancies, sparking “elevated levels of tenancy terminations.” Foxtons, which also bemoaned [...]
Engineering group picked off London Stock Exchange in £4.1bn deal July 16, 2026 Rotork is set to become the latest company snapped off the London Stock Exchange by a foreign buyer after agreeing to a £4.1bn takeover by Swiss rival ABB. The engineering group agreed to pay 506p per share in cash for the FTSE 250 firm, comprising 503p in cash and a dividend of up to 3p. [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers feels lift from takeover spree July 16, 2026 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has seen its profit jump as it pushes ahead with a turnaround plan and launches a spree of takeover bids for foreign retailers. The fashion group, which owns Sports Direct and Flannels, said its recent takeover bids and moves to build stakes in rivals are bolstering its balance sheet amid a [...]
We should all get behind this wealth tax July 16, 2026 A wealth tax is once again rising up the agenda as Andy Burnham prepares to enter Downing Street. The tax is remarkably popular. YouGov polling last year found 75 per cent of Brits would be in favour of the introduction of a wealth tax, with only 13 per cent opposed. There are three clear reasons [...]
Government nationalises British Steel July 16, 2026 The government has brought British Steel under state ownership after the steelmaker’s nationalisation passed a public interest test. The Prime Minister said the move “secured the future of British steelmaking”, and follows the introduction of fresh legislation that made it easier for ministers to forcefully nationalise steel companies. Scunthorpe-based British Steel has appointed a revamped [...]
The pensions triple lock is a travesty. Our politicians must fess up July 16, 2026 We report this week that the OECD has added itself to a growing list of institutions warning over the sustainability of Britain’s triple lock pensions system, the policy that guarantees the state pension rises annually by the highest of inflation, earnings growth or 2.5 per cent. The triple lock, the Paris-based OECD warns, is “unusually [...]