Business

For SME business owners contemplating a sale, the recent Capital Gains Tax (CGT) increases announced in the Budget present new challenges. According to Ed Bartlett, CEO of leading compliance provider Hicomply, one of the most significant risks to business valuation during due diligence lies in cybersecurity and compliance standards. “Cybersecurity and compliance have become critical to preserving and maximising business value,” Bartlett explains. “Buyers and investors are now more cautious than ever, and poor security...

As winter settles in, it’s vital to bolster your immune system and promote overall metabolic health to keep energy levels high and prevent illness. Osteopathic physician Dr. Mercola is an award-winning Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, and New York Times best-selling author, emphasizes that nutrition and lifestyle adjustments play a critical role in strengthening immunity and supporting metabolic function. Here are some of Dr. Mercola’s top tips to optimize your health this January....

Renowned for his expertise in plasma physics and aerospace engineering, Dr. Sergey Macheret has carved out a prestigious career across both academic and industrial landscapes. Originally from Kiev, Ukraine, he acquired his M.S. in Physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and later obtained his Ph.D. in Plasma Physics and Plasma Chemistry from the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy. Macheret’s professional journey includes positions at the Ohio State University, Princeton University, and Purdue...

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has signed a deal worth £8 million to hire hundreds of temporary workers in a bid to repair what economists warn is “virtually unusable” data on employment in the UK. The move comes amid mounting criticism of the agency’s flagship labour force survey (LFS), which policymakers at the Bank of England rely on to guide interest rate decisions. Under the agreement finalised last month, staffing agency Randstad will recruit...

A new government-backed train ticket retailer is to be launched online, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced, with the aim of consolidating UK rail fares into a single digital platform. However, the service will only go live once Great British Railways (GBR) — the new body charged with running the UK’s rail network — is established, which the government has said is unlikely before late 2026. The DfT said the new website would bring...

In a move reflecting mounting concerns about disinformation and cyber threats, UK-based venture capital firms Fuel Ventures and Oxford Capital have co-led a $1 million pre-seed funding round in Egregious. The pioneering company specialises in “Human AI” solutions designed to protect organisations against malicious deployments of artificial intelligence, including superhuman AI deception, disinformation and harmful content. The funding, which follows warnings in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report that disinformation remains a top global...

Sainsbury’s is planning to shed more than 3,000 head office positions and shut its remaining in-store cafés in a bid to reduce costs by £1 billion. As Britain’s second-largest grocer, the company employs around 150,000 people across more than 1,400 shops nationwide. The business said it was contending with “a particularly challenging cost environment” following recent budget tax increases and had been forced to make “tough choices” to boost efficiency. Part of these efforts will...

The government is preparing to soften its proposed tax changes for non-domiciled residents, following concerns over the growing exodus of wealthy individuals from the UK. Speaking at a fringe event during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rachel Reeves confirmed that ministers will introduce an amendment to the Finance Bill. In response to reports of 10,800 millionaires having left Britain last year, Reeves said: “We have been listening to the concerns that have been raised...

The Bank of England could deliver as many as six interest rate cuts by the middle of next year, according to new projections from Goldman Sachs. The American investment bank expects rates to drop to 3.25 per cent by the second quarter of 2026, citing weaker economic activity and lower inflationary pressures. Markets are already factoring in two cuts this year, while many economists predict that the Bank will opt for a 25 basis-point reduction...

Employers offering unpaid or low-paid internships are blocking working-class and disadvantaged young people from the best career paths, according to new research by the Sutton Trust. The social mobility charity found that internships, often essential for securing jobs in industries such as finance and IT, are taken up mainly by middle-class graduates with parental or personal financial support. Nick Harrison, the Sutton Trust’s chief executive, described it as “shocking” that “many employers still pay interns...