We’re being taxed out of existence, companies warn July 6, 2026 Investment by British businesses has fallen to its lowest level since the pandemic as companies warn they are being “taxed out of existence”, one of Britain’s biggest business groups has found. The proportion of firms planning to increase investment fell to just 17 per cent in the second quarter, down from 21 per cent in [...]
As it happened: Stocks slide despite tech and data boost; Oil falls after OPEC+ ups output July 6, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Markets are dealing with a double dose of pressures to start of the new week as investors brace for a crucial earnings season in the artificial sector, whilst an increase of supply on the oil market weighs on prices. Over in Asia, stock markets slipped following a week [...]
Burnham’s high street tax plan carries £880m price tag July 6, 2026 Andy Burnham’s plans to overhaul business rates in favour of Britain’s high streets could cost around £880m a year, according to new analysis, as questions mount over how the Labour leadership frontrunner would pay for one of his first major tax reforms. Forecasts by global tax firm Ryan suggest Burnham’s proposal to expand Small Business [...]
World Cup gives London restaurants and retailers Deliveroo boost July 5, 2026 England’s World Cup campaign has delivered a boost for restaurants and retailers across London, with new Deliveroo data showing a sharp increase in orders during the Three Lions’ group-stage matches. Exclusive figures shared with Morning Wire show BBQ orders more than doubled across the capital during England’s matches against Croatia, Ghana and Panama, while picnic-related [...]
Staff would turn down promotion to keep flexibility at work July 3, 2026 Half of the UK’s part-time staff would turn down a promotion if it meant losing the flexibility of their current role, according to fresh polling, leading industry chiefs to warn against an overzealous crackdown on agile working. The Yougov data, commissioned by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and shared exclusively with Morning Wire, found exactly [...]
FTSE 100 giant ABF shares slide as it braces for £60m sugar crash after Iran war July 1, 2026 FTSE 100 giant Associated British Foods has issued a major warning on the state of its sugar businesses over “the duration and severity of the Middle East conflict”. The multinational conglomerate – which spans across the food and retail industry – said it expects its sugar operation to deliver a loss of as much as [...]
Footasylum calls in the robots with THG Fulfil warehouse deal June 30, 2026 Trainers will be shuttled across Footasylum warehouses by automated robots after the sports and streetwear firm struck a deal with logistics company THG Fulfil. THG Fulfil, a division of Manchester-based THG Ingenuity, has signed a deal with Footasylum to revamp its warehouse facilities with robots and automated operation platforms in a so-called Autostore system. The [...]
‘Ultrasound cakes’ help fuel sales surge at London-listed Cake Box June 30, 2026 A surge in demand for ‘ultrasound cake’ has helped drive record sales at one of the UK’s biggest bakeries. Cake Box, which operates hundreds of stores across the UK, posted a 9.3 per cent rise in organic turnover to £45.9m for the year to end March as the firm set its sights on opening dozens [...]
Sainsbury’s boss urges Burnham to cut energy costs and ‘focus on growth’ June 30, 2026 The boss of Sainsbury’s has urged the next prime minister to address rising energy costs as food inflation continues to concern shoppers. The boss of the UK’s second-largest grocer repeated his earlier calls for the Treasury to engage with the food industry to assist with rising costs following the war in the Middle East. His [...]
Record temperatures boost Sainsbury’s sales but store infrastructure feels the heat June 30, 2026 Sainsbury’s recorded a rise in sales in the first financial quarter, as the May heatwave and a run of public holidays boosted sales but caused its fridges and freezers to break down. Total sales rose 3.1 per cent year on year to £3.1bn, bolstered by a five per cent hike in fresh food purchases, as [...]