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UK business activity accelerated again in February, but hiring weakened. A flash PMI survey showed stronger manufacturing demand and a steady services expansion, even as employers cited higher payroll taxes and turned to technology to manage costs.
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AWS disputes claims its AI tools caused December outages report. The Financial Times said engineers let Amazon’s Kiro agent make production changes that led to a 13-hour disruption. AWS says misconfigured access controls — not AI — affected one service in a mainland China region during the busy holiday period.
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British Business Bank commits £60m to NorthEdge’s fourth fund. The investment is being made under the Bank’s new Growth Equity strategy, designed to back private equity funds focused on smaller UK businesses, with a stated emphasis on unlocking scale-up capital in the Nations and regions.
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EY launches blueprint to integrate sustainability into enterprise strategy. The EY Sustainable Operating Blueprint provides a roadmap for embedding sustainability across organisations, moving beyond isolated efforts. It aims to unlock innovation and resilience as a strategic value driver.
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Rachel Reeves secures record borrowing reprieve with £30.4bn surplus. January’s surplus, driven by increased tax receipts, surpasses expectations and the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast. Capital gains tax receipts hit a record, reflecting asset sell-offs due to anticipated tax hikes.
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Microsoft achieves renewable energy goal, a key sustainability milestone. The tech giant met its target to match its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy, part of its broader aim to be carbon negative by 2030 and remove historical emissions by 2050.
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UK SMEs are leaning on AI, and disputes are rising. A dispute resolution lawyer says ‘almost right’ outputs and jurisdictional blind spots can harden positions and inflate costs.
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Audion has launched Audion AI to optimise digital audio campaigns. The company says the agent turns a brief into multi-platform media plans, spanning streaming, podcasts, digital radio, and audio-first video, and adjusts spend during delivery using contextual signals and measurement data. It also unveiled a refreshed brand identity with launch.
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UK finance hiring plans climb as AI skills remain scarce. Robert Half says 58% of employers expect permanent headcount growth by summer 2026, while 43% plan interim hires.
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UK retailers are bracing for higher employment costs this year. A British Retail Consortium survey found 84% of retail finance chiefs now rank labour and employment costs among their top three concerns, up from 21% in July 2025, as Employment Rights Act changes begin to be implemented.
