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IMA has expanded its shopper marketing reach through acquisition today. The Leeds-founded global agency has bought a majority stake in South African specialist VF!, strengthening retail activation and experience capabilities within The Smollan Group.
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Dean Moor Solar Farm has secured development consent approval today. The nationally significant project adds momentum to the UK renewable infrastructure pipeline as solar development faces planning, grid, land-use, and community scrutiny.
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Water capacity has unlocked almost 19,000 stalled housing units. A taskforce agreement involving Anglian Water and planning bodies moves developments closer to delivery across East Anglia, Lincolnshire, and the Home Counties.
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Planning reform will shorten major infrastructure approval routes from July. Ministers say the overhaul could cut pre-application times by up to 12 months and save developers £1bn, with energy, transport, water, and data centre projects among the likely beneficiaries.
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June’s US dealmaking concentrated around AI, platforms, infrastructure, and pipelines. SpaceX, Fox, Martin Marietta, Merck, and AbbVie led a month in which buyers paid for scarce routes to capability, scale, customer access, and future growth.
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European car rules could redraw UK automotive export economics sharply. Industry pressure is growing for UK-built vehicles and components to remain inside future EU support frameworks.
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June’s UK dealmaking became a sharper contest over listed-company value. Prologis, EQT, Castlelake, Ingredion, and Bridgepoint shaped a month of foreign approaches, take-private pressure, strategic consolidation, and outbound expansion, with boards testing whether public-market discounts should translate into control.
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June’s Europe-linked M&A market concentrated conviction in scarce strategic assets. Banking, telecoms, logistics real estate, life sciences, and infrastructure transactions showed capital moving towards scale, control, regulatory preparation, and long-cycle demand.
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Mastercard says skill-based holidays are reshaping British travel spending priorities. Its European survey found nearly half of Britons plan to learn something new while away, creating fresh opportunities for local tourism SMEs.
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Internationally exposed companies remain more confident than their domestic peers. Lloyds’ latest Business Barometer shows overall confidence falling, even as hiring intentions improve and overseas-facing businesses report stronger demand.