ASML chip demand is outrunning the Dutch firm's expansion plans, with the sole EUV machine maker now looking beyond a 30 per cent capacity rise for 2028.

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as chip shares tumble, UK growth beats forecasts and John Healey attends the IMF meeting in BangkokToday’s better-than-forecast UK growth report is good news for chancellor John Healey as he hobnobs with other finance ministers at the IMF meeting in Bangkok.But it may encourage the Bank of England to raise interest rates as soon as its next meeting in November….“While August’s unexpected uptick all but confirms that the OBR will raise its growth forecast for this year from 1.1% to 1.4%, the Chancellor still faces a major Budget...

With Christmas on the horizon, we trace children's toys from factories in China to US shelves.

What are the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage, and how much are they worth?

John Healey is reportedly preparing an online marketplace VAT crackdown that would make platforms such as Amazon and eBay collect tax owed by sellers.

Firms adopting AI financial advice tools must invest as heavily in adviser skills as in the technology itself, says Redmill Advance founder David Tait.

It is billing £32.99 a month but I have had no functioning phone line since it switched me to Digital VoiceI’ve had no landline since May 2025 when BT switched it to Digital Voice. Weeks passed, and each call to BT involved at least an hour waiting on hold and answering security questions before being passed between departments.Eventually, last December, two engineers were sent and discovered that a wire had been severed during the upgrade. They said they needed a cherry picker to reconnect it to its original location and would return. They did not. Continue reading...

The IMF report comes as final preparations are being made to the first Budget under Prime Minister Andy Burham.

The Ovo Energy takeover by E.ON Next has completed after CMA clearance, leaving almost three-quarters of British households served by three suppliers.

Hedgehog Lab CEO Malcolm Seagrave on leading a digital product studio, its February 2026 B Corp certification and why relationships matter more than deals.

A football club’s contribution to its city cannot be measured by the league table alone.

Unemployment rose slightly to 4.2% in September as American employers paused hiring.

Fuel prices have been steadily rising since the US-Iran war began in February.

President Donald Trump has threatened to ban diesel exports in a bid to ease prices in the US ahead of the November elections.

Martin Lewis says though they are the UK's most popular form of savings, not everybody benefits from them. Martin explains who premium bonds are best for, and who they aren’t so good for.

If you’re getting ready to launch a business, finding fast, flexible funding can feel like the hardest part.

Tests by the Guardian found some AI chatbots remove hijabs from images of Muslim women when prompted, with ChatGPT and Grok complying with the request.

Redditch residents say they are worried they will not be able to afford heating.

A typical household faces an annual gas and electricity bill of £1,999 from January, based on a key forecast.

St Paul's Pantry in Norton Lees say things are looking "pretty grim" without support.

Amo Raju & Associates MD Dr Amo Raju OBE on charity leadership, stepping down after 30 years at Disability Direct and asking what the founders would think

Prime Connect co-founder Chaim Grunfeld on specialist telecoms, an awards finalist place and why every yes is a no to something else in business.

The average price of a litre of diesel at the pump stands at 198.32p, according to the RAC motoring body.

Nexus HE founder Emily Harrison on independent medical education, a PMi Awards 2026 gold and why attendance alone never proves a programme worked.

Ofcom has ordered BT's network arm to scrap an Openreach discount on new full-fibre customers, while clearing its other fibre and Ethernet offers.

George Bamford will become JCB joint chairman alongside his father on 1 October, as the digger maker reports a fall in 2025 sales and pre-tax profits.

Despite diplomatic niceties and gifts, little was shared on substantial issues separating the leaders.

Recorded incidents of violence and harassment against passengers and rail workers showed a sharp increase in the year to March.

Consumer expert Harry Kind walks through what to do when buying travel insurance.

Around 1,000 Legal and General jobs will go by mid-2027 as chief executive António Simões pushes to simplify the FTSE 100 life insurer's operations.

Every SME that has made a marketing video has hit the same wall about four minutes before publishing. The footage is fine, the voiceover is fine, and then someone asks what music goes under it — and discovers that the answer is either a subscription, a licensing fee, or a takedown notice.

Growth is rarely a straight line. Even businesses that have enjoyed years of strong performance can reach a point where sales flatten, customer acquisition slows, and previously successful strategies stop delivering the same results.

Blow to John Healey before budget as UK households face ‘notable strain’ on their financesBusiness live – latest updatesFears of a steep rise in mortgage payments and increasing job insecurity have sent UK consumer confidence tumbling to a three-month low, according to a leading survey.In a blow to John Healey before next month’s budget, the S&P Global consumer sentiment index dropped to 42.7 in September from 42.9 in August, indicating “a notable strain on financial confidence across UK households”. Continue reading...

Fred Done says Betfred will not renew its rugby league deal and will quit British Classics racing sponsorship if the budget raises gambling tax again

Barclays research finds 87 per cent of UK manufacturers use automation to manage disruption, while 72 per cent report more defence and security demand.

Prices in the US rose 3.4% in the 12 months to August, according to the latest official figures.

A litre of unleaded now costs 167.17p which is the biggest weekly increase since April, data shows.

The electricity VAT cut takes effect from 1 October, the prime minister told MPs, as the SNP warned of a looming winter cost-of-living emergency.

Proceeds from the event help fund Christmas for families struggling financially in the South East.

Sainsbury's has announced more than £1.5 million of funding for school breakfast clubs, school food pantries and kitchen upgrades as the new term starts, including £500,000 each for the charities Magic Breakfast and Rethink Food through its partnership with Comic Relief.

Some government borrowing costs have hit their highest level for 28 years - what does it mean for you?

A company that sold devices promising to protect elderly people from nuisance calls has been fined £190,000 by the ICO for making more than 758,000 of them itself, every one to a number registered with the Telephone Preference Service.

Keeping a team happy when you’re running a small or medium sized business isn’t always easy. It’s hard to match the salaries that larger companies can offer and in a smaller organisation employees sometimes face more intense pressures.

Richard Alvin argues Meghan Markle joining The Gentlemen is not casting, it is customer acquisition, and Netflix is buying it at a considerable discount.

French firm says the acquisition of Huel will help it grow in the nutritional sector.

Vivien Wong shares her top tips, job highs and lows, and what a perfect Sunday looks like.

It comes after a 60-day ceasefire expired on Monday, with no sign of a diplomatic or military off-ramp to the conflict.

It comes after the interest rate on 30-year bonds reached the highest level in almost 20 years.

Chinese-owned AESC has pushed back plans in sign of slowing transition from petrol and diesel to electric carsAndy Burnham moves to cut new EV sales targetsThe UK’s biggest gigafactory has shelved plans to expand production in Sunderland because of stalled talks on a deal to supply electric car batteries to Jaguar Land Rover.Chinese-owned AESC produces batteries for Nissan at its gigafactory next door to the Japanese carmaker’s Sunderland plant. However, AESC has had to push back its ramp-up plans because of lower-than-expected demand from Nissan and the lack of a deal with JLR, according...

Recruiter Robert Walters forecasts 90,000 London jobs in banking, law and accountancy will move to regional cities by 2031, in a £9 billion shift.

DRIVE35 funding of more than £47m has been awarded to 33 UK automotive projects, a round expected to leverage over £90m of total project investment.

The seven-figure payment was given to Steve Buck as part of package to persuade him to join the troubled utility company.

Are AI recruitment tools disadvantaging women who are seeking to return to the workplace?

Andre Lavoie joined SpaceX in 2009 as an engineer, now he's looking to cash in his shares in the company.

The duties were imposed over claims that 60 US trading partners have failed to tackle forced labour.

Under the terms of the deal, Argos will still operate in Sainsbury's shops, sell Habitat products, and offer Nectar points.

Mark Zuckerberg said Meta intends to sell for the first time AI tools to other companies

The regulator said a fee of between £237,500 to £712,500 per megawatt should be charged for upcoming projects.

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsThe UK’s competition watchdog has opened an investigation into Microsoft over concerns that its customers may have been misled about their Microsoft 365 subscription options.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its investigation would focus on changes made to Microsoft 365 plans, which provide access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and the AI tool Copilot.People across the UK rely on Microsoft 365, whether they’re studying, sending emails or managing household finances.At a time when household budgets are squeezed, it...

Mocean Energy is raising £5m to build floating offshore data centres powered by wave and solar energy, with a first pilot targeted for 2028.

Former eBay executives carried out "unprecedented" harassment over a critical newsletter.

Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino will exit following customer backlash over modern logo redesign.

The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland says the price rise is in direct response to the US-Iran conflict.

Retail sales volumes fell at a slower pace in July, with the CBI balance at -26% from -54% in June, while wholesale sales stabilised after 25 months.

A new UK Polling Report seat projection puts Labour largest on 209 seats, 117 short of a majority, as Andy Burnham rules out an early election before 2029.

In the current business landscape, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs) are operating in an environment that demands more content than ever before.

Vitabiotics, Britain's biggest vitamin maker, is sold to US firm Bain Capital for £900m, ending 50 years of family ownership. What it signals for SMEs.

The cost of parking closest to the terminal just for a few minutes has hit £10 at two of the UK's busiest airports.

Defence stocks rallied on John Healey's move to No 11, but the 3% pledge went unconfirmed. What the new chancellor means for SME defence suppliers.

Food banks and community larders are warning of an uncertain future.

FareShare Sussex & Surrey says it is facing a "mountain" of need over the school holidays.

UK businesses are being asked to cut the carbon footprint of workforce travel while the information they need to do it arrives after the room has already been booked, new research suggests.

Liz Kendall departs as Technology Secretary in Andy Burnham's reshuffle, leaving SMEs to weigh the future of Sovereign AI, DSIT and the under-16 ban.

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsAs Reid points out, downbeat earnings report from the streaming giant Netflix last night is also feeding some of the negativity in the stock market today.Its shares fell more than 8% in after-hours trading, after the company forecast revenue growth of 11.7%, its smallest year-on-year quartlery increase in more than two years.Pressure had been building ahead of the results, with investors questioning whether Netflix can keep viewers engaged as YouTube and short-form platforms compete for attention. Viewing hours actually grew 2% in the...

Move dealt ‘severe blow to Chinese companies’ confidence in investing in the UK’, says Ministry of CommerceChina’s government has said it is “strongly dissatisfied” with the decision to nationalise British Steel this week, 15 months after the UK government stepped in to prevent the closure of its steelworks in Scunthorpe and the loss of 4,000 jobs.On Thursday, British Steel was brought under public ownership to protect “the future of steel production”, the government announced. Continue reading...

The UK's largest water company reported a post-tax profit for the 12 months to the end of March, but its net debt also swelled.

Space launch costs are falling faster than steamship freight in the 1800s and could hit $300 a kilo by 2040. What the space economy means for UK firms.

Asian shares tumble with South Korea’s Kospi down nearly 10%Oxford Nanopore Technologies shares plummeted 20% after the biotech company admitted that revenues would fall short of its own expectations, hit by a triple whammy of weaker sales in China, disruption in the Middle East and the timing of customer orders in the Americas.Trading in the first half was below management expectations, the Didcot-based company said. It produces gene sequencing technology, devices used to identify viruses and spot variants in the genetic makeup of humans, animals and plants.While first half revenue growth...

96 per cent of firms told the government's own red tape survey that regulators create unnecessary problems. What the findings mean for UK SMEs and owners.

Hugo Boss urges shareholders to reject Mike Ashley's £2.3bn Frasers Group takeover bid, calling the €38-a-share offer inadequate. Why UK firms are watching.

The shares are set to start trading on the Nasdaq on Friday in what will be the largest ever debut by a foreign firm.

The High Court has dismissed in full the £50m unlawful information gathering claim brought by Prince Harry, Sir Elton John and Baroness Lawrence against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers.

Punters who bet more than £1,000 online in a 24-hour window will have to undergo an assessment, the regulator says.

Martin is revealing everything you need to know right now to cut the cost of getting away.

Millions are likely to have eaten "lamb" kebabs that were actually made with goat, skin and fat.

Steven, who now runs his own therapy business, struggled to make ends meet after graduating.

AI latest: New model scrapped after showing 'higher levels of deception' - as Trump prepares to host tech bosses  Sky NewsOpenAI scraps rollout of new model over safety concerns  BBCOpenAI abandons release of new model that lies to users  The TelegraphThe future is AI vs. AI  axios.comOpenAI scraps release of new model over safety concerns in internal testing  The Guardian

Long-term UK borrowing costs at 28-year high as rising oil prices trigger global bond rout – business live  The GuardianDebt costs near 30-year high as Andy Burnham’s first budget looms  The TimesBorrowing Costs at Highest Level Since 2008 as Parliament Returns  Guido FawkesJohn Healey’s defence plans face a £6bn debt interest blow – latest updates  The TelegraphBreakingviews - COMMENTARY: The UK’s ‘moron premium’ predates the morons  Reuters

The eight London boroughs getting new tech to combat shoplifting in crackdown by Met  London Evening StandardGreggs, Boots and M&S team up with Met Police to tackle shoplifters  Sky NewsCroydon and Sutton are next to use Met’s anti-shoplifting tech  Inside CroydonChiswick High Road shoplifter banned for five years as Met’s new CCTV reporting tech reaches Hounslow  The Chiswick CalendarShoplifters snared by police has quadrupled with help of pioneering AI system  AOL.co.uk

Warning major London airport ‘running out of fuel’ sparking fears of summer holiday disruption  London Evening Standard

£2.5bn regeneration plan to transform east London waterfront unveiled  London Evening StandardMeet the Emiratis building 5,000 homes — and a tree nursery — in east London  The Times5,000-home Royal Docks mega scheme set for 2028 start  Construction EnquirerArada unveils first phase of £2.5bn Thameside West regeneration  Estates GazetteGensler appointed by Dubai developer to design first 1,500-home phase of revived Greenwich scheme  building.co.uk

Gatwick Airport chaos as flights declare emergency and diverted after sudden runway closure  London Evening StandardSee more headlines and perspectives on Google News

London stations to get taller barriers in fare evasion crackdown  London Evening StandardTaller ticket barriers to tackle fare dodgers  BBC£33.4 million to fund new gateline improvements  GOV.UKFare-dodgers face taller rail barriers with ‘anti-tailgate’ AI  The TimesTrain companies will install 6ft ticket gates to stop fare-dodgers  The Telegraph