UK
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Over a quarter of women face workplace harassment in the UK. WalkSafe’s data highlights persistent harassment issues, with 27% of women and 16% of men affected. Many employees believe companies should enhance safety measures, valuing anonymous reporting systems.
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This week’s UK M&A activity touched mortgage servicing, logistics, leisure assets, mining technology, and family entertainment. From rail freight to marina networks, the deals reflect international capital targeting UK companies and assets while British acquirers expand overseas.
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Starbucks announces £750 million restructuring, closing cafés and cutting jobs. The coffee chain will shut underperforming stores in North America and the UK, affecting staff and customers. Despite closures, Starbucks plans 80 new UK openings this year amid strong competition and financial challenges.
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The Labour government plans to introduce mandatory digital ID cards. The proposal would require all UK workers to hold a digital ID, verified by employers at the point of hire. Ministers argue it will curb illegal work, while SMEs face both opportunities and challenges in compliance and implementation.
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UK fintech leader urges LSE and Nasdaq merger to boost market. Cleo’s founder highlights the need for political will to improve capital prospects, proposing a UK-US stock exchange merger as a solution to the UK’s finite capital challenges.
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UK signs contracts for two carbon capture projects. The government has committed to two carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, expected to capture 1.2 million metric tons of CO2 annually and create 500 skilled jobs, as part of a £9.4 billion funding pledge.
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Pepper Advantage expands with UK acquisition. Global asset servicing group Pepper Advantage will acquire Computershare’s UK mortgage servicing business, lifting its UK assets under management to £50 billion. The deal, announced on 24 September and pending regulatory approval, underscores consolidation in mortgage servicing and a push for technology-driven scale.
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BT’s CEO urges Chancellor against raising business costs further. Allison Kirkby warns that the telecoms industry already faces high government-imposed costs, urging stability in regulatory and fiscal policy to ensure returns on investment in critical infrastructure.
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Britain’s Co-op says cyberattack disruption cost it £80 million. The April incident led to £206 million in revenue losses, exposure of member data, and a sharp first-half swing to pre-tax loss as the company worked to contain the damage.
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Iberdrola plans €110 billion investment focusing on grid networks. Europe’s largest utility aims to enhance stability and returns by prioritising regulated grid networks over renewable generation projects. The strategy targets the US and UK, anticipating €7.6 billion annual net profit and 15,000 new jobs by 2028.
