Small businesses warn of April ‘perfect storm’ as costs surge
The Federation of Small Businesses warns 35% of small firms may close or cut output as higher wages, energy bills and tax changes hit in April. Read more: Small businesses…
Virgin Media O2 owners strike £2bn deal for Netomnia in fibre consolidation push
Liberty Global and Telefónica have agreed a £2bn deal to acquire Netomnia, expanding Virgin Media O2’s fibre reach to 20m UK premises and intensifying competition with Openreach. Read more: Virgin…
Household energy bills set to fall by £117 from April
Ofgem’s April price cap is forecast to fall 7% to £1,641, cutting typical household energy bills by £117 after government policy changes. Read more: Household energy bills set to fall…
Boohoo to raise £35m from shareholders amid turnaround strain
Boohoo Group is launching a £35m share placing to cut debt and support its turnaround, as shares fall 10% and competition intensifies. Read more: Boohoo to raise £35m from shareholders…
UK inflation falls to 3% as rate cut hopes build
UK inflation dropped to 3% in January, its lowest level since March 2025, strengthening expectations that the Bank of England could cut interest rates in March. Read more: UK inflation…
UK’s AI trade association appoints Centropy PR for external comms
UKAI, the UK’s trade association for the AI industry, has appointed global communications agency Centropy PR as its agency of record. Read more: UK’s AI trade association appoints Centropy PR…
Battery Ventures raises $3.25bn fund to invest in global tech and AI
Battery Ventures has closed a $3.25bn oversubscribed fund to invest in software, AI, cybersecurity and industrial tech across the US, Europe and Israel. Read more: Battery Ventures raises $3.25bn fund…
Octopus Energy Generation to invest $1bn in California clean tech
Octopus Energy Generation will deploy nearly $1bn into Californian carbon removal, heat battery and solar-plus-storage projects as part of a wider $2bn US expansion plan. Read more: Octopus Energy Generation…
Luxury brands urged to protect margins as profits slide
Profit margins at the world’s top luxury groups have fallen from 24% to 13%, with experts urging cost cuts in indirect spending to protect brand value. Read more: Luxury brands…
NATO Innovation Fund backs SatVu with £30m investment to scale thermal intelligence
SatVu has secured £30m including backing from the NATO Innovation Fund to expand its space-based thermal imaging constellation for defence and sovereign intelligence use. Read more: NATO Innovation Fund backs…