Features
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UK M&A activity spans bread, LNG, and aerospace this week. Deals include ABF’s planned Hovis acquisition, Centrica’s LNG investment, Evelyn Partners’ sale plans, Boeing’s merger clearance, and EG Group’s international divestments.
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More than 10,000 hotels are suing Booking.com over “abusive practices”. The class action alleges years of restrictive pricing terms that eroded hotels’ margins and autonomy — an escalating battle over platform power and marketplace fairness.
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Analysts expect modest recovery in this week’s Eurozone retail data. But behind the numbers lies a deeper transformation in consumer priorities. As trust, transparency, and value redefinition take centre stage, Europe’s B2C leaders are rethinking how to compete — and what it means to stay relevant.
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LoopUp’s strategic pivot is a masterclass in modern business resilience. Steve Flavell led the company through disruption, delisting, and reinvention, turning a near-collapse into a new growth story. As cloud communications gets smarter, LoopUp’s challenge now is to match operational excellence with innovation in a rapidly shifting market.
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New powers for the Small Business Commissioner aim to tackle late payments. The average UK SME is owed more than £20,000, according to FSB data. Chronic late payment is now a defining risk, amplifying the impact of high costs, inflation, and energy prices for small businesses.
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A fifth rate cut looks likely despite persistent inflation signals. With the labour market cooling and GDP contracting, the Bank appears ready to resume easing. Our read: a divided MPC will vote for a 25bps cut, with caution in its tone but confidence in direction.
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The UK’s M&A market saw five major deals this week. Strategic buyers, from Wall Street banks to dairy giants, drove activity across financial services, consumer, and biotech sectors. Global capital, succession, and sector shifts shaped the dealmaking landscape.
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US tariffs are reshaping the UK’s trading relationship with America. British businesses face a 10% baseline tariff on most exports, with new sector-specific quotas and compliance hurdles fundamentally altering access to the world’s largest market.
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A new transatlantic trade era begins with a 15% tariff. European business leaders face lasting uncertainty as the US and EU strike a high-stakes deal that averts a full trade war but cements tariffs at levels unseen in nearly a century.
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Curiosity and connection shaped Dr Megha Kumar’s path to CyXcel. Now, as digital risk becomes boardroom priority, her interdisciplinary leadership helps companies navigate trust gaps and a new era of accountability.