Business

The UK economy grew 0.6% over three months, official figures show.  But there was no growth at all in June, the Office for National Statistics said, as businesses delayed purchases until after the general election. Gross domestic product (GDP) – the measure of everything produced in the UK – expanded from April to June. This

A “major breakthrough” which could signal the end of national rail strikes has been made in the long-running pay row involving drivers, according to the Department for Transport (DfT). The department says that, following a series of “positive” talks led by the government, the train drivers’ union ASLEF has agreed to recommend a new pay

The pace at which prices are rising has sped up, according to official figures. The rate of inflation grew to 2.2% in July, up from 2% a month earlier, data from the Office for National Statistics showed. It is the first time since December last year that the rate has increased, rather than fallen. But

While attention has inevitably been on the first rise in grocery price inflation since March last year, the latest till roll data from Kantar Worldpanel also contains valuable insights into the grocery market itself. The figures highlight in particular the continued success of the biggest two players in the market, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, in terms

Grocery inflation has risen for the first time since March 2023, according to closely watched industry data. Prices in food shops rose by 1.8% in the four weeks to 4 August, research by Kantar Worldpanel found. It follows 17 consecutive months of easing inflation in the sector, including during the previous month when the rate

The threat of more than 100 riots across the country led to a 10% drop in hospitality sales, an industry body has said. The expectation of further far-right violence last Wednesday, which failed to materialise after more than a week of rioting, meant many shops, pubs and restaurants closed early and town centres emptied. The

The heads of the UK’s most valuable companies are being paid more than ever before – with the average chief executive paid more than 100 times that of the average worker, according to analysis from the High Pay Centre thinktank. The CEOs of the most valuable firms listed on the London Stock Exchange – the

Coffee shop chain Pret A Manger has announced some staff members will wear body-worn cameras as a new safety measure.  The company confirmed to Sky News that six shops across London started trialling the new technology last month, which will only be worn by team leaders and managers. It said the cameras will only be

A music-streaming service whose shareholders include Simon Cowell, Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams is racing to raise millions of pounds within weeks. Sky News has learnt that ROXi has appointed Begbies Traynor Group, the professional services firm, to work alongside Rockefeller Capital Management on the hunt for new capital. Founded in 2014, ROXi described itself

Britain’s most influential small business group is urging the home secretary to ensure swift support for SMEs affected by the wave of rioting which has swept Britain in the last ten days. In a letter to Yvette Cooper, a copy of which has been seen by Sky News, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) called

The government has “no time to waste” in punishing “disgraced” water companies, the Liberal Democrats have said after obtaining new data on firms breaching permits for sewage spills. The nine water companies in England breached their environmental permits 695 times last year, often due to pumping raw sewage into waterways without permission, a Freedom of

Disney plans to spend $5bn (£3.9bn) on making blockbuster films and TV shows in regions including the UK over the next five years. The entertainment giant is said to have been buoyed by the success of its superhero comedy Deadpool & Wolverine, which was made at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire. The recent release, starring Hugh

The UK’s competition regulator has launched an inquiry into Amazon’s investment of over £3bn into an artificial intelligence (AI) startup as regulators ramp up their scrutiny of mergers involving the fast-growing technology. The deal, which was announced by Amazon in March, included a $4bn (£3.16bn) investment into Anthropic and a commitment from the AI startup

Lord Saatchi, the former advertising mogul, has accused The Daily Telegraph’s would-be proprietors of overpaying for the right to own the title after his £350m offer for it was rejected. Sky News has learnt that an indicative bid from Lord Saatchi and Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild, a former director of The Economist Group, has

The boss of Fujitsu’s European arm has apologised in person to former sub-postmasters. Speaking following the meetings in London, Paul Patterson told Sky News he was “really grateful for their time”. He described “a really good conversation” held in private. “It’s not for me to get into that now – it was actually quite emotional

Mourning his mother’s death and celebrating her life at the Old Neighbourhood Inn was the obvious choice for Martin Leach, 72, from Chalford Hill, near Stroud.  The wood-beamed pub opposite his home had been woven into the fabric of the village for 150 years, so it made sense for 90 friends and family members to

House prices rose by 0.8% in July following three flat months for the market, according to one of the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders. Halifax said the average cost of a home rose by more than £2,200 to £291,268 last month, when compared with June. The month-on-month increase was bigger than expected. Economists had forecast a

Three water companies are facing a combined record fine of £168m after a series of failings, including over sewage treatment. The proposals by regulator Ofwat include a penalty of £104m for Thames Water. Yorkshire Water faces a £47m fine, while Northumbrian Water will have to pay £17m. It comes after an Ofwar investigation found the

Markets in Asia have rallied after worldwide plunges on Monday amid fears the US may be in recession. Taiwan‘s stock exchange jumped following a record drop a day earlier, but shed some of the gains later in the morning amid lingering concerns over the outlook for the US economy and tech companies. Japan‘s benchmark Nikkei

English rugby chiefs have agreed to sell the naming rights to Twickenham Stadium, the home of the national rugby union side for the last century. Sky News can reveal that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has struck a deal with Allianz, the German insurer, to add its brand to one of the world’s most famous