9 h. ago Wall Street hits record highs after US inflation report fuels interest rate cut hopes – business live

US consumer prices rose by less than expected last month, as markets digest breakdown of trade talks with CanadaUS prices rose at a 3% annual rate in September, slightly beating forecastsNewsflash: Conditions appear to be improving in the UK economy this month.The latest poll of purchasing managers at British firms has found that growth is picking up after the lull in September, partly helped by the resumption of manufacturing at Jaguar Land Rover after its recent cyber attack.“October’s flash UK PMI survey brings hope that September was a low point for the economy from which business conditions are starting to improve.Output has picked up, with a particularly welcome return to growth for manufacturing for the first time in over a year accompanied by an upturn in demand for services, notably among consumers. Business confidence has also brightened slightly, job losses have moderated, and inflationary pressures are coming back to levels consistent with the Bank of England’s 2% target...

Economics

13 h. ago Business conditions ‘starting to improve’ in UK economy as activity picks up – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsNewsflash: Conditions appear to be improving in the UK economy this month.The latest poll of purchasing managers at British firms has found that growth is picking up after the lull in September, partly helped by the resumption of manufacturing at Jaguar Land Rover after its recent cyber attack.“October’s flash UK PMI survey brings hope that September was a low point for the economy from which business conditions are starting to improve.Output has picked up, with a particularly welcome return to growth for manufacturing for the first time in over a year accompanied by an upturn in demand for services, notably among consumers. Business confidence has also brightened slightly, job losses have moderated, and inflationary pressures are coming back to levels consistent with the Bank of England’s 2% target. Continue reading...

Economics

13 h. ago UK business activity improves as manufacturing returns to growth

The S&P Global flash UK composite purchasing managers’ index reported a reading of 51.1 in October, rising from 50.1 in September.

Economics

14 h. ago Business condition ‘starting to improve’ in UK economy as activity picks up – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsNewsflash: Conditions appear to be improving in the UK economy this month.The latest poll of purchasing managers at British firms has found that growth is picking up after the lull in September, partly helped by the resumption of manufacturing at Jaguar Land Rover after its recent cyber attack.“October’s flash UK PMI survey brings hope that September was a low point for the economy from which business conditions are starting to improve.Output has picked up, with a particularly welcome return to growth for manufacturing for the first time in over a year accompanied by an upturn in demand for services, notably among consumers. Business confidence has also brightened slightly, job losses have moderated, and inflationary pressures are coming back to levels consistent with the Bank of England’s 2% target. Continue reading...

Economics

8 d. ago UK economy expands as GDP rises by 0.1% in August ahead of crucial budget

Manufacturing and health sectors boost growth but ONS revises down figures for JulyExclusive: says higher taxes on wealthy ‘part of budget story’Business live – updatesThe UK economy expanded by 0.1% in August, according to official figures, giving a lift to Rachel Reeves ahead of next month’s crucial budget.A boost from the manufacturing sector helped the economy improve along with a strong performance by the health sector. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago LVMH shares surge 12% as luxury powerhouse returns to growth

Luxury market leader reports improving trends in third quarter after a tough couple of years for the industry

Politics

2 w. ago Frozen meals and fat: These are the top food trends for 2026, Whole Foods reveals

Whole Foods’ annual forecast hit the return of traditional cooking fats, the growth of fiber-rich foods, and a focus on women shaping the future of farming in 2026

Politics

2 w. ago Aerospace manufacturer staff vote for strikes in fight for improved pay deal

Unite said Leonardo is leaving its employees ‘short-changed’.

Economics

3 w. ago Czechs begin voting in election that could return populist to power

Billionaire Andrej Babiš hands out doughnuts on first day of voting as polls predict his ANO party will winCzechs have begun voting in an election likely to oust their centre-right government, with polls favouring the populist billionaire Andrej Babiš to return to power on pledges to raise wages and improve growth while reducing aid for Ukraine.The change would boost Europe’s populist anti-immigration camp and could complicate consensus on climate policies in a country where no sitting government has won a second term since 1996. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago UK’s FTSE 100 share index hits record high; US jobs market weakens as companies cut workers – business live

FTSE 100 hits record high as global stocks celebrate best September since 2013UK business confidence falls to record low amid rising employment costsOver in the eurozone, the manufacturing sector has slipped back into contraction.Data firm S&P Global reports that factory operating conditions across the euro area deteriorated in September, due to a reduction in new order inflows and a sharper rate of job shedding. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago UK manufacturing activity shrinks at fastest pace for five months

Firms linked to the car industry warned that their supply chains were impacted by production shutdowns at Jaguar Land Rover.

Politics

3 w. ago Mary Portas looks back: ‘After Dad died, his wife made us homeless. I never got to be a teenager, instead I worked’

The queen of shops on her tragic teenage years, her glittering rise through retail and her spiritual awakeningBorn in Watford in 1960, Mary Portas is a businesswoman, broadcaster and activist. She joined Harvey Nichols in 1989 and left in 1997 to found the marketing agency Yellowdoor (now Portas). In 2007, she began her television career with the BBC Two series Mary Queen of Shops. She was retail tsar for the UK government in 2011, and is a co‑chair of the Better Business Act. She has three children – two with her ex‑husband, Graham Portas, and one with her ex-wife, Melanie Rickey. Her new book, I Shop, Therefore I Am, is published on 2 October.This was taken at my office in Harvey Nichols. I was finding my feet as a creative director, so magazines wanted to put me on their pages. The clothes – Norma Kamali trousers and a Donna Karan bodysuit – were a subliminal way of reflecting who I was. In my early 20s, I was dressing to cater to the trends. As...

Events

3 w. ago BAILLIE GIFFORD AMERICAN FUND: Mega rebound from US fund that wants to look tech titans in the eye

The mission is to invest in some of the most exciting growth companies in the United States and generate exceptional long-term returns.

Science

4 w. ago Scottish Government ‘actively harming’ business innovation, Tories claim

But First Minister John Swinney said growth in Scotland ‘has been stronger’ than in the rest of the UK.

Politics