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Britain is moving AI hardware policy into industrial strategy now. A £1.1bn plan will support chip design, compute infrastructure, specialist skills, public procurement, and scale-up finance.
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Openwork has joined bidders pursuing Schroders’ Benchmark advice business sale. The potential £250m deal reflects continuing consolidation across wealth management, adviser networks, and platform infrastructure.
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Frasers is considering a major move into regional retail property. A potential £500m Metrocentre bid would extend the group’s strategy of owning destination retail assets.
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Ministers are moving faster on the planned ground rent cap. The proposed £250 annual limit could now arrive in late 2027, affecting leaseholders, freeholders, developers, and property investors.
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Crest Nicholson’s lenders have appointed advisers as covenant talks continue. The housebuilder has delayed half-year results while negotiations over temporary covenant relief progress towards a mid-July conclusion.
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Ministers are preparing to take larger stakes in UK scale-ups. Peter Kyle has signalled a more active state investment model as the government tries to keep high-growth technology companies in Britain.
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Labour is reconsidering how far UK-EU economic alignment can go. Ministers are weighing practical cooperation on electricity, emissions, and trade frictions while keeping formal Brexit red lines in place for this parliament.
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MPs say Britain must overhaul how investment reaches growing companies. A new Commons report warns that low investment, weak scale-up finance, and fragmented public institutions are holding back productivity and long-term growth.
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Carmakers are seeking more time before tougher EV trade rules. Industry groups warn local battery supply chains cannot yet meet UK-EU origin thresholds due on 1 January 2027, raising fresh questions over electric vehicle investment, costs, and competitiveness.
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OECD forecasts point to another difficult year for UK growth. The organisation expects GDP to rise by 0.9% in 2026, while unemployment is forecast to reach 5.5%.