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Government borrowing exceeds forecasts by £9.9 billion this fiscal year. Public sector borrowing reached £17.4 billion in October, marking the third-highest October on record. The cumulative borrowing since April is £116.8 billion, intensifying economic pressures as the Budget approaches.
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The EU’s flagship AI regulation faces a significant postponement. Brussels is expected to delay enforcement of high-risk AI system rules until 2027 following sustained pressure from major technology providers. The decision gives companies longer to adapt but raises concerns about governance complacency and shifting legal accountability.
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Klarna claims its AI now matches workload of 853 staff. The payments company says its generative-AI customer-service assistant has handled millions of queries with human-level satisfaction, underscoring automation’s accelerating impact on service jobs as financial-technology leaders weigh the gains — and risks — of digital labour.
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Budget talk is already weighing on Britain’s Christmas shoppers. New BRC and GfK data shows consumer sentiment sliding again in November, just as inflation eases and retail sales stumble. With Rachel Reeves facing a sizeable fiscal gap, retailers are braced for a Budget that could define demand well into 2026.
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Two in five invoices reach finance teams with errors. New data from Basware shows automation could reclaim hundreds of hours and bring oversight to $549bn in unmanaged spend.
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UK government unveils AI investment initiative to generate new jobs.
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A third of UK employees feel uninspired at work. O.C. Tanner’s latest Global Culture Report finds a significant “inspiration gap” between employees’ ambitions and workplace reality, linking it to falling engagement, slower innovation, and weaker productivity across British organisations.
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Samsung officially names TM Roh as co-chief executive officer. The appointment reinstates a dual-leadership model at Samsung Electronics, dividing oversight between its mobile and semiconductor divisions. The move underscores the company’s intent to strengthen governance and sustain competitiveness across its consumer technology and component businesses amid a shifting global market.
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Europe is eyeing stakes in Australian resource ventures. The European Union has announced plans to invest directly in Australian critical-minerals operations to secure key supply for its green transition, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said following talks in Melbourne with Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King.
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Google unveils tool to boost energy efficiency in manufacturing. The Energy Assessment tool helps manufacturing managers identify opportunities for energy savings and emission reductions, addressing challenges such as consultancy costs, capital acquisition, and lack of expertise.