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Budget talk is already weighing on Britain’s Christmas shoppers. New BRC and GfK data shows consumer sentiment sliding again in November, just as inflation eases and retail sales stumble. With Rachel Reeves facing a sizeable fiscal gap, retailers are braced for a Budget that could define demand well into 2026.
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Two in five invoices reach finance teams with errors. New data from Basware shows automation could reclaim hundreds of hours and bring oversight to $549bn in unmanaged spend.
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UK government unveils AI investment initiative to generate new jobs.
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A third of UK employees feel uninspired at work. O.C. Tanner’s latest Global Culture Report finds a significant “inspiration gap” between employees’ ambitions and workplace reality, linking it to falling engagement, slower innovation, and weaker productivity across British organisations.
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Samsung officially names TM Roh as co-chief executive officer. The appointment reinstates a dual-leadership model at Samsung Electronics, dividing oversight between its mobile and semiconductor divisions. The move underscores the company’s intent to strengthen governance and sustain competitiveness across its consumer technology and component businesses amid a shifting global market.
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Europe is eyeing stakes in Australian resource ventures. The European Union has announced plans to invest directly in Australian critical-minerals operations to secure key supply for its green transition, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said following talks in Melbourne with Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King.
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Google unveils tool to boost energy efficiency in manufacturing. The Energy Assessment tool helps manufacturing managers identify opportunities for energy savings and emission reductions, addressing challenges such as consultancy costs, capital acquisition, and lack of expertise.
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US employers added more jobs than expected in September. The 119,000 payroll gain came alongside a rise in unemployment to 4.4 percent, signalling a labour market that remains steady but not overheating. For the Federal Reserve, the figures strengthen the case for patience before adjusting interest rates.
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Upgrading connected tech could add nine days of productivity. A BT Business report suggests better connectivity could offset the average sick leave lost per UK worker and ease workplace stress by 2030, as companies invest in AI and cloud-enabled tools to improve efficiency, retention, and wellbeing.
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Crédit Agricole sets ambitious sustainable finance targets for 2028. The Paris-based bank aims for a 90/10 green-brown ratio, facilitating €240 billion in transition financing and achieving €1 billion in sustainable finance revenues by 2028.