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Currency volatility is rising, forcing businesses to rethink FX risk. Thanim Islam, Head of FX Analysis at Equals Money, explains how structured hedging, scenario planning, and faster treasury decisions can help companies protect margins as sterling and global interest-rate paths diverge.
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Women in business are gaining ground across the UK economy. Progress in leadership and representation is becoming easier to see, even as obstacles around pay, capital, and care remain. For employers and investors alike, the strongest case for backing women now rests as much in performance as principle.
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February’s US dealmaking was defined by conviction rather than volume. A $110bn media merger, a $34.5bn cable consolidation, and major transactions in banking, medtech, and payments infrastructure revealed a market pursuing scale — with regulators, financing, and integration now central to execution.
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UK contactless payment caps end nationwide on 19 March 2026. Banks can set their own limits, but must prove risk controls. With the blunt backstop gone, fraud monitoring, real-time analytics, and customer settings will matter more — and larger institutions may move first while others keep £100 until systems mature.
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Europe’s February M&A rewarded scarcity, scale, and defensive cashflows. Italy’s MPS pursued Mediobanca in a €16bn tie-up. InPost drew a €7.8bn offer as buyers chased large last-mile platforms. Blackstone and EQT agreed to buy Urbaser for $6.6bn, Germany took a TenneT stake, and Henkel moved for coatings group Stahl.
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Workplace harassment remains widespread, yet most cases never reach HR. New EU survey analysis puts lifetime workplace sexual harassment at 30.8%, and shows only 37.3% report to an official body, leaving organisations blind to patterns.
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February’s UK dealmakers chased scale, stability, and strategic scarcity again. Engie’s £10.5bn agreement for UK Power Networks led the month, while Nuveen’s £9.9bn purchase of Schroders underscored pressure for asset-management scale. NatWest bought Evelyn Partners, nexfibre consolidated fibre via Substantial, and Brookfield-backed Radiant merged with London’s Ori in late February.
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Zoho data shows UK businesses still squeezed after Spring Statement. A survey finds inflation and rising costs remain top external pressures, with half reporting higher cost per employee. Leaders are turning to cost reduction, standardisation, and selective tech investment, while Xero figures point to slowing sales growth among small businesses.
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Unemployment is rising, and hiring costs are climbing again fast. The OBR expects joblessness to peak at 5.3% in 2026, as youth unemployment and NEET figures worsen. With minimum wage rates rising in April and new employment law changes ahead, business groups want clearer pathways and practical support.
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Reeves promised stability, but business wants delivery and detail now. The Spring Statement kept major policy changes for the Budget, as the OBR cut 2026 growth to 1.1% and forecast unemployment at 5.3%. Leaders welcomed the tone, yet asked for clearer help on hiring, skills, and AI adoption quickly, nationwide.