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Europe’s February M&A rewarded scarcity, scale, and defensive cashflows. Italy’s MPS pursued Mediobanca in a €16bn tie-up. InPost drew a €7.8bn offer as buyers chased large last-mile platforms. Blackstone and EQT agreed to buy Urbaser for $6.6bn, Germany took a TenneT stake, and Henkel moved for coatings group Stahl.
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Workplace harassment remains widespread, yet most cases never reach HR. New EU survey analysis puts lifetime workplace sexual harassment at 30.8%, and shows only 37.3% report to an official body, leaving organisations blind to patterns.
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February’s UK dealmakers chased scale, stability, and strategic scarcity again. Engie’s £10.5bn agreement for UK Power Networks led the month, while Nuveen’s £9.9bn purchase of Schroders underscored pressure for asset-management scale. NatWest bought Evelyn Partners, nexfibre consolidated fibre via Substantial, and Brookfield-backed Radiant merged with London’s Ori in late February.
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Infosecurity Europe will expand its Channel Zone at ExCeL London. The event cites data suggesting 98% of organisations would face exposure if their main MSP or partner became unavailable. With 83% expecting managed services use to rise, the revamped area targets vendors, MSPs, MSSPs, and resellers for 2–4 June 2026.
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Goldman’s chief says Iran war risks need time to price. David Solomon told a Sydney summit the initial reaction was “benign”, as oil rose and equities fell. Investors are watching for sustained energy disruption and inflation spillovers.
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Zoho data shows UK businesses still squeezed after Spring Statement. A survey finds inflation and rising costs remain top external pressures, with half reporting higher cost per employee. Leaders are turning to cost reduction, standardisation, and selective tech investment, while Xero figures point to slowing sales growth among small businesses.
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Unemployment is rising, and hiring costs are climbing again fast. The OBR expects joblessness to peak at 5.3% in 2026, as youth unemployment and NEET figures worsen. With minimum wage rates rising in April and new employment law changes ahead, business groups want clearer pathways and practical support.
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Reeves promised stability, but business wants delivery and detail now. The Spring Statement kept major policy changes for the Budget, as the OBR cut 2026 growth to 1.1% and forecast unemployment at 5.3%. Leaders welcomed the tone, yet asked for clearer help on hiring, skills, and AI adoption quickly, nationwide.
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Upright launches AI tool for sustainability due diligence. Upright has introduced a new AI-powered tool to help investors assess company sustainability, risks, and opportunities using a simple company URL. The tool addresses gaps in traditional methods by focusing on external value chain factors….
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UK gas prices nearly double amid US-Iran tensions. Wholesale gas prices in the UK surged by 93% this week due to escalating US-Iran conflict, potentially increasing inflation and affecting household energy bills.
