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Disposable income falls for the fourth consecutive month. One in five UK households struggles to cover essential bills as wage growth lags behind rising costs, pressuring Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming Budget.
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Zelestra partners with Microsoft to deliver solar energy in Spain. Madrid-based Zelestra is collaborating with Microsoft and ECODES to supply solar energy and support sustainability initiatives in Aragón.
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Data security tops tech priorities for 47% of organisations. Softcat’s latest Business Tech Report reveals a strong focus on cybersecurity, AI adoption, and sustainable IT as businesses prepare for 2026’s digital challenges.
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Cybersecurity threats intensify when teams are off duty. A new global study from Semperis finds most ransomware attacks occur during holidays and weekends, when security staffing is lowest — and are increasingly timed to coincide with major corporate events.
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Searches for Christmas temp jobs hit record levels in September. New research from The Accountancy Partnership shows a 23% year-on-year rise in festive job searches, suggesting that Britons are seeking seasonal work earlier than ever amid continuing financial strain.
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Canada will restart trade discussions with the US when conditions align. Prime Minister Mark Carney said there is currently no pressing issue to raise with President Trump.
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Scott Bessent dismisses US recession fears after shutdown. The US Treasury Secretary said the 43-day government closure caused an $11 billion loss but posed no broad economic risk, citing easing inflation, lower energy prices and planned tax cuts as supports for growth heading into 2026.
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Government borrowing exceeds forecasts by £9.9 billion this fiscal year. Public sector borrowing reached £17.4 billion in October, marking the third-highest October on record. The cumulative borrowing since April is £116.8 billion, intensifying economic pressures as the Budget approaches.
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The EU’s flagship AI regulation faces a significant postponement. Brussels is expected to delay enforcement of high-risk AI system rules until 2027 following sustained pressure from major technology providers. The decision gives companies longer to adapt but raises concerns about governance complacency and shifting legal accountability.
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Klarna claims its AI now matches workload of 853 staff. The payments company says its generative-AI customer-service assistant has handled millions of queries with human-level satisfaction, underscoring automation’s accelerating impact on service jobs as financial-technology leaders weigh the gains — and risks — of digital labour.
