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BNP Paribas surpasses low-carbon financing goals in 2025 results. The bank directed over 80% of its energy financing to low-carbon sources by the end of 2025, exceeding its target to facilitate €200 billion in low-carbon and transition financing from 2022 to 2025.
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UK employers now see recruitment delays as a critical business risk. New research shows hiring speed has overtaken economic instability as the leading concern for UK organisations entering 2026, driven by persistent shortages across specialist professional roles.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.