• Digital profiles outperform culture in remote team trust

    Digital profiles help remote teams build trust faster, new academic research shows. A study from Nyenrode Business University finds that sharing trusted online references, such as LinkedIn profiles, plays a larger role in early trust-building than cultural background in newly formed virtual teams.


  • Government red tape risks blocking youth jobs

    SMEs back apprenticeships, but bureaucracy threatens youth hiring across Britain. New research shows strong employer appetite following the Autumn Budget, alongside growing concern that complex Government systems could limit uptake and slow job creation.


  • Honda reports sharp quarterly profit fall

    Honda has reported a steep year-on-year drop in quarterly operating profit. The Japanese automaker said tariffs and weaker electric vehicle demand weighed on results, extending a run of declining earnings across successive reporting periods.


  • UK retailers report strong start to 2026

    UK retailers began 2026 with stronger sales momentum following January discounting. New industry data shows improved year-on-year growth, led by food and selective non-food categories, as shoppers delayed spending into the new year amid fragile confidence.


  • Strong ESG performance linked to overseas R&D expansion

    Strong ESG performance supports international R&D expansion and innovation outcomes. New academic research suggests companies with credible environmental, social, and governance records are better positioned to build overseas research operations, attract partners, and access global innovation ecosystems.


  • Estonia e-Residency delivers record €125m in state revenue

    Estonia’s e-Residency programme generated nearly €125 million in state revenue last year. Company formation and tax contributions rose sharply as international demand for digital business access accelerated.


  • NatWest targets 50,000 Accelerator entrepreneurs

    NatWest plans major expansion of its UK Accelerator entrepreneur community. The bank aims to grow membership to 50,000 by 2026, a five-fold increase on its 2025 ambition, following a year in which participation exceeded the total supported across the previous decade combined.


  • Alibaba chatbot coupon pause exposes limits of AI-led commerce push

    Alibaba paused chatbot coupons after heavy demand strained its AI systems. The disruption followed a Lunar New Year promotion tied to AI-driven shopping, highlighting execution risks as generative AI tools move from conversation into real-world commerce.


  • Advent and FedEx to buy InPost in .2bn deal

    Advent and FedEx have agreed a $9.2bn takeover of InPost. The consortium deal will take the European parcel locker operator private, reshaping ownership of one of the region’s fastest-growing last-mile logistics platforms.


  • UniCredit lifts profit outlook after strategic stakes

    UniCredit raised profit guidance after strong results and gains from rival stakes. The Italian lender said higher income expectations for 2025 and beyond reflect earnings contributions from minority holdings in other European banks, alongside the benefit of tax credits linked to past losses.