Business

Rabies is among the oldest known infectious diseases, yet it remains one of the deadliest. Each year, the virus claims nearly 59,000 lives worldwide, with the highest burden in Asia and Africa. Despite being 100% preventable through timely medical intervention, rabies continues to haunt vulnerable communities where access to treatment is limited or delayed. Tragically, almost half of those who …

Bitcoin broke through the $125,000 mark for the first time on Sunday, extending a powerful rally that analysts say could continue into the end of the year. The world’s largest cryptocurrency jumped 3 per cent in Asian trading to reach $125,245, propelled by institutional inflows, a weaker US dollar, and renewed political support for digital assets in Washington. The milestone …

The chief executive of Entain, the FTSE 100 owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, has warned the government that higher gambling taxes in next month’s Budget could lead to widespread betting shop closures and a sharp reduction in UK investment. In her first interview since taking the role permanently in April, Stella David said any increase in gambling duties would compel …

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s chemicals empire, Ineos, has introduced a company-wide hiring freeze as it prioritises debt reduction following years of rapid expansion and weakening market conditions. The British-founded group confirmed a “general recruitment freeze” while tightening capital spending after acquiring assets worth around €2.7 billion across the US, Europe and Asia between 2022 and 2024. The move comes as Ineos …

Jamie Oliver and his wife, Jools, have paid themselves £2.5 million in dividends for the second consecutive year, even as pre-tax profits at their core business fell by more than 30%. Accounts for Jamie Oliver Holdings (JOH) show pre-tax profits dropped from £3.4 million to £2.4 million in 2024, despite a 6% rise in sales to £28.6 million. The results …

Celebrity chef Rick Stein will close his Marlborough restaurant this weekend, the second outlet to shut in a week as his family-run hospitality empire battles mounting financial pressure. The High Street site, which opened almost a decade ago, will serve its last meals on Sunday, October 5. The closure follows the permanent shutdown of Stein’s Coffee Shop in Padstow, Cornwall, …

What began as isolated disputes over niche items is now reshaping how cakes, baked goods and sweet snacks are treated for tax purposes. The result is that products previously considered zero-rated are increasingly being reclassified as standard-rated confectionery, subject to 20% VAT. The change centres on a single phrase in VAT legislation, which defines confectionery as: “Chocolates, sweets and biscuits; …

Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency portfolio posted a rare rebound in Q3 2025, climbing 36.6% in value to $3.1 million, according to new analysis from Finbold. On-chain data tracked by Arkham Intelligence shows the former US president’s holdings rose from $2.27 million on July 1 to $3.10 million by September 30 – a paper gain of around $823,000. The recovery comes after …

Women in England face a dramatic and long-lasting earnings hit after having children, with the average mother losing over £65,000 in pay by the time her first child turns five, according to sobering new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The analysis reveals a 42% fall in mothers’ average monthly earnings – equivalent to a loss of £1,051 …

Baroness Michelle Mone has launched a blistering attack on Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, accusing her of “inflammatory language”, “reckless public statements”, and misrepresenting both the facts and legal context surrounding the PPE Medpro case. In a two-page letter seen by Business Matters, the peer directly confronts Badenoch’s remarks made on BBC Radio, in which she called for Baroness Mone to …