OBR risks being ‘unreasonably pessimistic’ as Reeves set to be given leeway October 10, 2025 The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) risks being “unreasonably pessimistic” if it decides to downgrade productivity growth trends by more than 0.1 percentage point, fresh analysis has indicated, in what could hand Chancellor Rachel Reeves some extra leeway at this year’s Budget. The fiscal watchdog is widely expected to downgrade productivity forecasts as part of [...]
British icon in the red after Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes costs jobs October 10, 2025 John Smedley, the historic family-owned luxury knitwear brand, has been forced to raise prices and make redundancies as it battles Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes as it fell into the red. The Derbyshire-headquartered business can trace its roots back to 1784 and is currently run by the eighth generation of the Smedley family. Executive chairman [...]
Budget rumours spark a surge in client queries for financial advisers October 10, 2025 Independent financial advisers have seen a significant uptick in client enquiries in the run up to the Budget, as speculation over tax changes continues to plague Brits. According to analysis from wealth management firm, Rathbones,90 per cent of independent financial advisers (IFAs) have reported a spike in client enquiries as the November Budget inches closer. [...]
What an AI bubble could mean for Reeves October 10, 2025 The traditional ministerial photo-op of walking around a construction site clad in a high-vis jacket and a hard hat usually takes place at a factory or housing site. But last month, chancellor Rachel Reeves donned fluorescent yellow for a different facility – a huge data centre built to power the UK’s digital economy through AI. [...]
Hiking VAT would have ‘serious negative impact’, economists warn Reeves October 10, 2025 A hike to VAT would “have a serious negative impact” on the UK, leading economists have warned, as the chancellor weighs which taxes to put up at next month’s Budget to plug a £30bn shortfall. An increase in the sales levy would have the biggest negative impact of any major tax rise, leading to a [...]
Tinned tuna giant Princes confirms intention to float October 10, 2025 Tinned tuna heavyweight, Princes, has confirmed its intention to proceed with its IPO to list on London’s main index. The decision comes just one week after the Italian-owned business announced it was considering a listing. The offer will be comprised of new ordinary shares to be listed by the company, in order to raise net [...]
Number of job seekers spike as high taxes continue to hurt UK economy October 10, 2025 The number of job seekers has spiked while a rise in starting salaries was “fractional”, according to analysis of leading survey data, in signs the jobs market is struggling to shake off higher taxes and low growth prospects. New monthly findings by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG have pointed to another rise [...]
UK outperforms US in creating unicorns from early stage VC investment October 9, 2025 The UK has created nearly three times as many unicorns than the US per dollar in early stage venture capital (VC) investment in the past decade, highlighting its attractiveness as an investment destination. According to analysis from venture-building firm IMS Digital Ventures, the UK has converted $18.5bn (£13.8bn) of early stage investment into 57 successful [...]
Webull UK enhances platform with UK shares and ETF offerings October 9, 2025 Digital investment platform Webull UK has expanded its offering as it cashes in on a renewed investor thirst to trade UK-listed equities and ETFs. Through its partnership with investment fintech company Upvest, customers will now be able to invest in domestic companies as part of its integration of UK stocks and ETFs on its platform. [...]
How Reeves could ‘trigger’ bond market fright and collapse UK economy October 9, 2025 Poor decisions made by Rachel Reeves at the next Budget could send the UK economy into a crisis if her announcements trigger a collapse in bond markets’ confidence, according to a scenario played out by analysts at Oxford Economics. Rachel Reeves has pledged to drive growth in the UK and lower the cost of living [...]