Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Jump to content
Sign up to our newsletters
Independent
More
Voices
Best
TV

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Business analysis and news

the big readBusiness

The changing face of investing – and the platforms vying for your cash

A government-backed advertising campaign will encourage Brits to put excess savings into long-term stocks and funds, but it’s a quickly changing landscape, writes Karl Matchett

Business

Expert tips dramatic interest rates cut to 2.75% as unemployment hits

Business

UK hits ‘peak Costa’ as soaring prices see coffee chain’s losses soar

Hargreaves Lansdown is in talks over a potential takeover deal (Hargreaves Lansdown/PA)
Business

Hargreaves Lansdown poaches new boss from rival Vanguard

The London Stock Exchange (PA)
Business

Miners drive FTSE 100 up despite Fed probe worry

More than 2,000 pubs, restaurants and hotels could shut their doors this year unless the Government makes sector-wide changes to ‘staggering’ incoming increases in business rate bills, UK Hospitality has warned (Alamy/PA)
Business

Six hospitality firms a day could close without rates help, warns trade group

Gold prices have shot up by about 70% over the past year (Alamy/PA)
Business

Gold price soars to new record as US Federal Reserve faces fresh threats

Stock markets latest

Business

Mining companies in talks over mega merger to create world’s biggest

The UK’s FTSE 100 has risen above 10,000 points for the first time (John Stillwell/PA)
Business

London’s FTSE 100 tops milestone 10,000 mark after new year rally

<p>Industry experts anticipate this positive global market momentum will persist through to 2026.</p>
Business

London Stock market bounces back after late flurry of IPO listings

Money

Why you should drip feed money into your stocks and shares ISA

E2E Profit 100

SPONSORED

The E2E Profit 100 track 2025

SPONSORED

E2E Reveal the Profit 100 Track 2025

Latest business news

Total revenues at Hobbycraft rose by 6.3% over the six weeks to December 28 (Jonathan Brady/PA)
Business

Knitting and crochet helps Hobbycraft sales jump at Christmas

Wildwood restaurant chain owner Tasty has said December sales were considerably below expectations following the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 (Wildwood/PA)
Business

Bow Street plots acquisitions after restructuring and Christmas uplift

<p>A pint of Heineken</p>
Business

Heineken boss reveals exit amid slump in beer sales

London’s blue chip share index has tumbled lower after US President Donald Trump confirmed sweeping import levies (Alamy/PA)
Business

Plus500 beats sales and earnings expectations after ‘extremely strong’ year

Property giant British Land has said boss Simon Carter is set to leave after more than five years in the role (PA)
Business

British Land boss stepping down to join warehouse developer

UPFs often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, sugar and additives, which experts say leaves less room in people’s diets for more nutritious foods (Alamy/PA)
Business

39% of adults want to see ultra-processed foods banned – survey

<p>Vladimir Putin</p>
Voices

Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble

You can use the nutritional information on foods to check if you are eating too much (Alamy/PA)
Business

Government urged to make nutrition labels on front of food packaging mandatory

E2E Profit 100

Partner Content
SPONSORED

Why courage and creativity still define Britain’s best businesses

SPONSORED

How SugaRich Is Redefining Sustainability in the Food Chain

<p>Imjin Barracks Single Living Accommodation</p>
SPONSORED

The factory-built future of British construction

Explore news for you

More business news

Members of the EIS backed strike action (Jane Barlow/PA)
Business

Lecturers at Edinburgh Napier University back strike action over ‘damaging’ cuts

For the week, the FTSE 100 rose 1.7% (James Manning/PA)
Business

Mining merger talks see FTSE 100 end week on high

Sainsbury’s has hailed a surge in demand for its Christmas pyjamas (Sainsbury’s/PA)
Business

TikTok boost helps Sainsbury’s notch up ‘record-breaking’ Christmas PJ sales

Housebuilders, including Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey, will report their latest results next week (Taylor Wimpey/PA)
Business

Housebuilders in focus as firms set to reveal figures amid sluggish market

<p>Greggs increased the price of a sausage roll by 5p, to £1.35</p>
Business

Greggs increases sausage roll price as cost of living bites again

The UK economy is predicted to have grown by 0.2% in November (Aaron Chown/PA)
Business

UK economy set to have returned to growth despite budget caution

Housebuilders, including Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey, will report their latest results next week (Taylor Wimpey/PA)
Business

Housebuilders in focus as firms set to reveal figures amid sluggish market

<p>Greggs increased the price of a sausage roll by 5p, to £1.35</p>
Business

Greggs increases sausage roll price as cost of living bites again

The UK economy is predicted to have grown by 0.2% in November (Aaron Chown/PA)
Business

UK economy set to have returned to growth despite budget caution

A general view of beer taps inside The Counting House pub in the City of London. Ministers will provide extra support for pubs, after the sector expressed worries about business rates changes. (Katie Collins/PA)
Business

Pubs U-turn a sign of ‘confident’ Government, senior Labour figure says

Business

Pubs U-turn a sign of ‘confident’ Government, senior Labour figure says

A general view of beer taps inside The Counting House pub in the City of London. Ministers will provide extra support for pubs, after the sector expressed worries about business rates changes. (Katie Collins/PA)
(Alamy/PA)
Business

Retailers dish up strong Christmas food sales but fashion lags behind

Sainsbury’s revealed ongoing pressure in its non-food arm and Argos business (David Parry/PA)
Business

Sainsbury’s festive grocery sales sparkle but non-food arm and Argos struggle

Rio Tinto and Glencore confirmed they are in talks about a possible merger (Alamy/PA)
Business

Glencore shares surge after confirming talks with Rio Tinto over mega-merger

<p>Food delivery giant Just Eat Takeaway drivers in London</p>
Business

Just Eat records 145,000 Christmas orders amid festive panic-buying

<p>Food delivery giant Just Eat Takeaway drivers in London</p>
Business

Just Eat records 145,000 Christmas orders amid festive panic-buying

<p>Greggs boss Roisin Currie said there was a ‘very savvy consumer out there’</p>
Business

Weight-loss jabs have made us rethink our menu, Greggs boss admits

The budget is due to be announced on Tuesday (Jane Barlow/PA)
Business

Government should say which capital projects will be scrapped – think tank

<p>High street visits fell 0.9 per cent and retail park footfall went down by 2.5 per cent</p>
Home News

Retailers suffered a ‘disappointing’ Christmas. Here’s why

The FTSE 100 index closed down just 3.52 points at 10,044.69 (Jeff Moore/PA)
Business

FTSE 100 flat as AB Foods and Tesco disappoint

<p>The latest Halifax price index shows the average home in the UK is now £297,755 – up just 0.3 per cent over a year</p>
Money

House prices predictions for 2026 after another fall in December

HSBC has agreed to pay around 300 million euros (£260.6 million) to French authorities to settle a dividend fraud case (Mike Egerton/PA)
Business

HSBC agrees to pay £260m to settle dividend fraud case in France

The boss of Tesco has given his support to pubs over ‘unfair’ property taxes (PA)
Business

Tesco boss lends weight to calls for business rates support for pubs

Supermarket Tesco has hailed its highest market share for more than a decade as it notched up a rise in festive sales (Jonathan Brady/PA)
Business

Tesco hails highest market share for more than a decade as festive sales rise

Greggs said it was performing better than its competitors (Mike Egerton/PA)
Business

Greggs serves up Christmas sales boost despite ‘challenging’ market

<p>The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is currently the highest in Europe, alongside Malta</p>
Home News

Rural pubs fear stricter drink-drive limit will impact business

The oil giant saw shares drop after reporting weaker trading (Yui Mok/PA)
Business

Shell drops after decline in energy trading division

Business

Shell drops after decline in energy trading division

The oil giant saw shares drop after reporting weaker trading (Yui Mok/PA)
Asda said it has strengthened Asda Price Promise (PA)
Business

Asda strengthens price promise after bleak Christmas

Customers collecting their drinks at the bar of Irish pub O’Neill’s in Carnaby Street, central London.
Business

Government wants to help pubs, minister insists amid worries for sector

Primark sales edged around 1.7% higher like-for-like in the UK over the 16 weeks to January 3 (PA)
Business

Primark owner warns over profits after disappointing festive sales

Marks & Spencer has cheered a record number of shoppers over Christmas (Yui Mok/PA)
Business

M&S cheers record number of Christmas shoppers as food sales swell

Marks & Spencer has cheered a record number of shoppers over Christmas (Yui Mok/PA)
Business

M&S cheers record number of Christmas shoppers as food sales swell

Two former finance directors of collapsed firm Carillion have been fined by the City watchdog after acting “recklessly” and playing a part in misleading statements issued by the outsourcing giant before its high-profile demise eight years ago.
Business

Two former Carillion finance directors fined by FCA over misleading statements

Money is stacked in front of the London Stock Exchange website (PA)
Business

FTSE 100 retreats amid weak metal and oil prices

<p>Chevron currently stands as the sole US oil major operating in Venezuela</p>
Americas

Oil giant in talks with US to expand operations in Venezuela

Journalists from STV stood in a picket line outside the broadcaster’s Glasgow offices (Ryan McDougall/PA)
Business

STV journalists walk out over proposed job cuts and changes to news programme

Money

Pensioners missing out on huge payment they don’t know they can claim

The company behind TGI Fridays has filed its third notice to line up administrators (Chris Ison/PA)
Business

TGI Fridays seeks more time to secure deal after lining up administrators

Houses under construction on a housing development in Basingstoke, Hampshire (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Business

Housebuilding slump deepens as construction sector hits year-long decline

US President Donald Trump (Leon Neal/PA)
Business

Oil prices drop as Trump vows to seize up to 50m barrels of Venezuelan crude

Competition from online retailers are squeezing high street brands, retail experts have said (Jonathan Brady/PA)
Business

Claire’s too slow to compete with Temu and TikTok Shop, experts say

Topps Tiles has notched up its fifth quarter in a row of rising sales (Topps Tiles/PA)
Business

Topps Tiles set for ‘another year of progress’ as sales continue to grow

94% of NUJ members who voted in a strike ballot last year backed strike action (Niall Carson/PA)
Business

STV journalists walking out in row over changes to flagship news programme

Business

STV journalists walking out in row over changes to flagship news programme

94% of NUJ members who voted in a strike ballot last year backed strike action (Niall Carson/PA)
The blue-chip index was ‘surfing a wave of investor optimism’, according to one analyst (Jeff Moore/PA)
Business

FTSE 100 hits new record high as New Year rally gains momentum

The FTSE 100 index closed up 118.16 points, 1.2%, at 10,122.73 (PA)
Business

Next impresses as FTSE 100 rockets to fresh high

<p>The South Korean-based firm will join the likes of Tesla and BYD in using human-like robots</p>
Business

Humanoid robots to build cars for major manufacturer from 2028

Growth in the UK’s services sector picked up at the end of 2025 (Alamy/PA)
Business

UK services sector shows ‘lacklustre’ growth in December but sentiment recovers

Growth in the UK’s services sector picked up at the end of 2025 (Alamy/PA)
Business

UK services sector shows ‘lacklustre’ growth in December but sentiment recovers

Next has increased its full-year profit outlook once again after a better-than-expected festive performance (Mike Egerton/PA)
Business

Next delivers latest profit outlook hike after festive trading boost

The Christmas aisle in a Morrisons supermarket (Alamy/PA)
Business

Shoppers spent average of £476 at supermarket in December as inflation eased

Registrations of pure battery EVs were up 23.9% year-on-year to 473,340 (Alamy/PA)
Business

New car sales grew by 3.5% last year fuelled by surge in demand for EVs

Mecca Bingo firm Rank has revealed its boss will retire (PA)
Business

Mecca Bingo owner Rank sees boss retire after nearly eight years at the helm

<p>The London Stock Exchange in the City of London</p>
Business

Bosses of FTSE 100 companies already paid more than average UK worker

The price cap increase comes just as a yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for some parts of the UK (Alamy/PA)
Business

Household energy bills rise as temperatures plummet

State Oil – the parent company of Prax Group, which owns the Lindsey refinery in North Lincolnshire – appointed administrators on Monday (Alamy/PA)
Business

Prax Lindsey oil refinery to stop standalone operations after Phillips 66 sale

Analysts predicted that the FTSE 100 could surpass 9,000 by the end of the year (Alamy/PA)
Business

FTSE 100 closes above milestone 10,000 mark for first time

<p>Fashion accessories retailer Claire’s has been put into administration</p>
Business

Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop collapse into administration

The FTSE 100 rose above 10,000 for the first time (Jeff Moore/PA)
Business

FTSE 100 at record close despite Venezuela nerves

Burger King UK owner Bridgepoint has agreed a proposed buyout of financial advisory firm Interpath (John Walton/PA)
Business

Burger King UK’s owner agrees proposed deal to buy Interpath

Business

Burger King UK’s owner agrees proposed deal to buy Interpath

Burger King UK owner Bridgepoint has agreed a proposed buyout of financial advisory firm Interpath (John Walton/PA)
Lecturers at four Scottish universities are voting on possible walkouts (Jacob King/PA)
Business

Staff at four universities vote on possible strike action in disputes over cuts

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (Lucy North/PA)
Business

Spring statement to take place on March 3, Rachel Reeves tells MPs

<p>That rate could now continue to surge in 2026 as a host of businesses coming under relentless cost pressures are forced to close</p>
Business

Warning of unemployment rise as costs force ‘zombie’ companies to shut

The index was teetering close to the 10,000 mark (John Stillwell/PA)
Business

Demand for defence stocks lifts FTSE as investors calm amid Venezuela turmoil

The index was teetering close to the 10,000 mark (John Stillwell/PA)
Business

Demand for defence stocks lifts FTSE as investors calm amid Venezuela turmoil

Business

Work-related stress deemed a ‘national crisis’ amid call for action

<p>The relaunch comes as Tesco promised to cap the prices of 3,000 branded products</p>
Business

Tesco revive iconic logo in ongoing price battle with Aldi

<p>Aldi has reported record sales in the run up to Christmas 2025</p>
Business

How Aldi defied the odds to report a £1.65bn Christmas sales boost

Data shows office workers flocked to transport hubs as demand for workspaces closer to home ballooned in 2025 (Ben Whitley/PA)
Business

Office workers flocked to travel hubs closer to home in 2025, data shows

<p>This mandatory measure follows a voluntary advertising ban that began on 1 October</p>
Health

New crackdown on ads for ‘less healthy food’ to come into full effect

The figures will be closely studied (Jacob King/PA)
Business

Supermarket giants and high street stalwarts to reveal festive figures

<p>German-owned Lidl’s UK operations generated more than £1.1bn in turnover during the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve</p>
Business

Supermarket sees ‘record’ Christmas sales with over 50mn shoppers

<p>In October, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled plans that could see the company spend more than $100bn on AI projects this year</p>
Voices

Zuckerberg is taking a huge bet on AI. The results will be spectacular

The figures will be closely studied (Jacob King/PA)
Business

Supermarket giants and high street stalwarts to reveal festive figures

<p>German-owned Lidl’s UK operations generated more than £1.1bn in turnover during the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve</p>
Business

Supermarket sees ‘record’ Christmas sales with over 50mn shoppers

<p>In October, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled plans that could see the company spend more than $100bn on AI projects this year</p>
Voices

Zuckerberg is taking a huge bet on AI. The results will be spectacular

Rolls-Royce, a top performer in 2025, was a prominent riser, up 4.1%, while another leading light in 2025, Airtel Africa, climbed a further 1.8% (Yui Mok/PA)
Business

FTSE 100 starts new year higher but slips back after crossing 10,000

Aberdeen-based Wood Group provides oilfield and engineering services (Alamy/PA)
Business

Claims firm investigated by watchdog over car finance sales tactics

Tesco and Sainsbury’s will reveal whether it was a merry Christmas across their supermarket operations in festive trading updates next week, while Next and Marks & Spencer also report back from the high street.
Business

Supermarket giants and high street stalwarts to reveal festive figures

The S&P Global UK manufacturing PMI survey was 50.6 in December, up from 50.2 in November (Peter Byrne/PA)
Business

UK manufacturing recovery picked up pace in December as demand grew

Sector experts have said they expect insolvencies to continue to rise next year, particularly in retail and hospitality (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
Business

Pressure on high-street shops and restaurants ‘likely to intensify’ in 2026

Business

FTSE 100 posts best performance since global financial crisis recovery

The FTSE 100 closed down at the end of a shortened trading day (Philip Toscano/PA)
Business

FTSE 100 ends 2025 close to another record high

<p>Trading is expected to be light ahead of the New Year’s Day holiday, when markets will be closed. </p>
Business

US stocks slip as trading winds down for year-end

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in