Business

The government is still reviewing plans to tighten reporting requirements for small and micro companies, with ministers yet to decide whether to press ahead with rules that would require them to publish profit-and-loss accounts for the first time. In an interview with The Times, Blair McDougall, the new small business minister, said that “all options are on the table” as …

The government has clawed back £74 million from private firms accused of making “excessive profits” under multi-billion-pound asylum accommodation contracts — a figure that amounts to a tiny fraction of the £2.1 billion annual cost to taxpayers. The Home Office confirmed it had recovered the funds following a review into contracts covering more than 200 hotels housing around 32,000 asylum …

Karachi: In a significant move towards enhancing bilateral trade and investment, the Consul General of China in Karachi, H.E Yang Yundong, has expressed his desire to further strengthen trade relations with Pakistan and enhance bilateral trade through mutual cooperation. The Consul General made these remarks during a meeting with a delegation led by Salim Valimuhammad, Chairman of the Pakistan Chemicals …

MPs have urged the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to ignore “scaremongering” by gambling companies and push ahead with higher taxes on the most harmful products, as pressure mounts on the Treasury to extract more from the £11 billion industry ahead of this month’s Budget. In a report published on Thursday, the Treasury select committee accused betting firms of hiding their most …

The UK Government has announced more than £14 million in new funding to accelerate the commercial use of quantum technology across healthcare, defence, transport and energy, in a move it says will help power Britain’s next industrial revolution. The investment, unveiled on Friday at the National Quantum Technologies Showcase in London, marks a major milestone in the country’s National Quantum …

ITV has confirmed it is in talks with Sky over a potential £1.6 billion sale of its media and entertainment business, including its traditional TV channels and its streaming platform ITVX, in a move that could redefine the future of British broadcasting. The broadcaster said this morning that it was in “preliminary discussions” with Sky’s US parent company, Comcast, following …

Elon Musk is poised to become the world’s first trillionaire after Tesla shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve a record-breaking $1 trillion pay package for the electric carmaker’s chief executive. The vote, held at Tesla’s annual general meeting in Austin, Texas, saw investors chant “Elon, Elon” as the result was announced — signalling their confidence in Musk’s leadership despite criticism from …

Balnord, a new early-stage venture capital firm founded by the team behind Black Pearls VC, has announced the launch of Balnord Fund I, an oversubscribed €70 million vehicle dedicated to investing in frontier and dual-use technology startups across the Baltic Sea region. The fund, which is already on track to reach a final close of €100 million by mid-2026, aims …

A comprehensive Harvard Business School study tracking 60,000 hours of CEO time has revealed a troubling pattern: executives spend up to 55% of their unscheduled time managing email alone. For UK founders earning £150,000 annually, this administrative burden translates to approximately £84,000 in lost productivity each year. The research, conducted by professors Michael Porter and Nitin Nohria, followed 27 CEOs …

When it comes to professional skincare treatments, finding quality pregnancy-safe facials near me can transform your complexion and boost your confidence. This comprehensive guide explores everything you need to know about pregnancy-safe facial near me, from understanding different treatment types to selecting the best providers for your specific needs. Whether you’re seeking your first professional facial or looking to upgrade …