Lloyds pledges £45bn of new SME lending under Accelerate 2030
Lloyds £13bn digital investment will fund a new smart wallet and £45bn of SME lending, the bank said, as half-year profit rose 23 per cent to £4.3bn.
Business
M Group wins £110m ScottishPower overhead line contract
M Group has won a £110m ScottishPower contract to replace more than 70km of overhead line between Strathaven and Smeaton, SP Energy Networks has said.
Digital and tech firms take £11.6bn of £14.4bn UK equity haul
UK equity investment reached £14.4bn in the first half of 2026, up 26 per cent on the second half of 2025, according to Barclays and Beauhurst data.
Fear of failure tops start-up barriers for 18-24 year-olds
Fear of failure is the biggest barrier for 18-24s starting a business, while 45-54s name building the right team, new Funding Circle research finds.
UK vehicle production falls 7.5% to 385,979 units in first half
UK vehicle production fell 7.5 per cent to 385,979 units in the first half of 2026, SMMT figures show, though output stabilised in the second quarter.
University College Birmingham buys former Cube hotel in £15m plan
University College Birmingham has bought the former Cube Hotel and Marco Pierre White restaurant, the first stage of a £15m programme creating 150 jobs.
Apple launches Klarna device leasing in US from $17.99 a month
Apple Upgrade, a device leasing programme provided by Klarna, launched in the United States on Tuesday with iPhone leases starting at $17.99 a month.
Steph McGovern to host UK’s first Vocational Celebration Day
The UK's first Vocational Celebration Day takes place on 6 August, days after Andy Burnham set out new technical routes for 14-year-olds in England.
Masaj raises £1.5m to open three more London studios
Massage chain Masaj has raised £1.5m led by Figr Ventures, with three further London studios planned over the next 18 months and revenues forecast near £3m.
US bans Chinese humanoid robots
The US has banned Chinese robots amid an intensifying rivalry to dominate advanced technology and the AI sector Read Full Article at RT.com