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UK fiscal headroom has already been exhausted, according to new forecasts. Fresh analysis from NIESR shows weak growth, rising unemployment, and higher labour costs are eroding the Chancellor’s budgetary margin, prompting warnings from business leaders about the impact on hiring and investment.
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Lloyds Banking Group appoints Ajneet Jassey as its new London ambassador. The bank has named the senior legal executive to focus on housing delivery, business growth, and technology engagement across the capital.
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Anthropic’s legal AI debut rattles European data and software stocks. Shares in major European data, publishing, and legal software companies fell sharply after Anthropic launched a legal productivity tool for in-house counsel, raising fresh concerns about AI-driven disruption to high-margin professional information businesses.
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One million people missed the self-assessment tax deadline. HMRC reported 27,456 taxpayers filed in the final hour before the deadline. Those who missed it face an automatic £100 penalty, with additional penalties for continued non-compliance.
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The EU introduces voluntary carbon removal certification standards. The European Commission has launched its first voluntary certification methodologies for permanent carbon removals, setting clear standards for technologies that remove CO2 from the atmosphere, facilitating certification and investment in these projects.
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Infosecurity Europe has unveiled a new Cyber Startup Programme. The initiative will debut at the 2026 event in London, combining a dedicated startup zone, founder-focused conference content, and a live pitching competition aimed at supporting early-stage cybersecurity businesses.
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Starling’s IPO plans face uncertainty amid regulatory frustrations. The digital bank’s billionaire backer is reconsidering a London listing due to slow regulatory reforms, raising concerns of a potential New York IPO instead.
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Tony’s Chocolonely reports double-digit growth despite cocoa price volatility worldwide. The ethical chocolate brand grew revenues 20% year-on-year to €240m, expanded its US footprint, and scaled ethical cocoa sourcing through Tony’s Open Chain, even as the global cocoa sector grappled with record prices and supply disruption.
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January’s US M&A opened 2026 with cash, speed, and scale. From streaming to medtech and power, buyers chased certainty and category leverage. Five headline deals, led by Netflix’s $82.7bn Warner Bros. push, signalled a market willing to pay up for assets that shorten timelines, widen moats, or lock in demand.
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Miro connects visual collaboration directly with AI coding environments. The new MCP server links shared diagrams, requirements, and design context in Miro with agentic development tools to improve accuracy, reduce rework, and align cross-functional teams.