UK

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled a £15.6 billion package to fund trams, trains and bus networks outside London, as Labour seeks to reset the political narrative ahead of a difficult spending review. Read more: Rachel Reeves unveils £15bn regional transport investment to reshape economic narrative

Sliding employment levels in the UK service sector over the last eight months amount to the “longest streak” since the 2008 financial crash – barring the pandemic – according to S&P Global analysts.  UK firms are facing intense pressure to maintain profit margins after a labour costs surge following Chancellor Reeves‘ tax raid on employers’…

UK growth could be higher than expected due to trade deals agreed with the US and the European Union, a City consultancy has said.  Most forecasters downgraded the UK’s economic outlook for the year in the wake of President Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’, with the IMF and other major forecasters warning the UK was set to…

UK steelmakers have narrowly avoided being hit with a damaging 50% import tariff by the United States – for now – after President Trump signed an Executive Order confirming that the UK will remain under the existing 25% tariff while a new bilateral steel agreement is finalised. Read more: UK steelmakers avoid immediate 50% US…

There is no single change radical enough to deliver the “fundamental reset” needed by the UK’s water industry, a much-anticipated review into the sector has found. The Cunliffe review has been led by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir John Cunliffe and is the largest since the sector was privatised in the late 1980s.…

The British Business Bank has reached a major milestone in its mission to support smaller businesses across the UK, with more than £5 billion now delivered through its ENABLE structured guarantee programmes. Read more: British Business Bank hits £5bn milestone fuelling regional growth and housebuilding

Labour’s farm tax reforms could cost Treasury £2bn, report warns.