Small businesses in the North are set to bear the brunt of changes to business rates this spring. In her tax-raising Budget in October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to phase out rates relief introduced to help struggling companies during the Covid-19 pandemic. The move means retail, hospitality, and leisure …
Read More »Holiday Inn owner buys ‘lean luxury’ city hotel brand amid US expansion
By JANE DENTON Updated: 04:13 EST, 18 February 2025 Holiday Inn owner InterContinental Hotels Group has acquired its 20th hotel brand as it reported stronger profits and outlined plans for further expansion. The FTSE 100-listed group said it had snapped up ‘lean luxury’ specialist Ruby Hotels for an initial £87.6million. …
Read More »Cracks deepen at Topps Tiles as shareholder slams takeover deal to buy 30 stores
By DAILY MAIL CITY & FINANCE REPORTER Updated: 17:00 EST, 17 February 2025 Topps Tiles’s largest shareholder has slammed the group after regulators said its deal to buy 30 stores from a rival could lead to competition issues. The flooring company bought the stores for £9million in August last year …
Read More »Marks & Spencer cuts price of children’s clothes to poach parents from rival retailers
By DAILY MAIL CITY & FINANCE REPORTER Updated: 04:25 EST, 31 January 2025 Marks & Spencer is cutting the price of children’s clothes as kidswear becomes its next battleground to gain market share. It hopes to entice more families as part of the turnaround drive that has lifted it from …
Read More »We must reform the post or nationwide service cannot survive, says Royal Mail chief exec EMMA GILTHORPE
By EMMA GILTHORPE ROYAL MAIL CHIEF EXECUTIVE Updated: 17:01 EST, 30 January 2025 Off the west coast of Scotland, there is a small island called Kerrera. It’s home to just 35 people and an array of wildlife, including several peacocks. Mark is one of the island’s residents and the local …
Read More »Royal Mail owner IDS eyes return to profit as Kretinsky takeover nears completion
Revenues rose 2.4% across Royal Mail in three months to the end of December By JANE DENTON Updated: 10:36 EST, 15 January 2025 The owner of Royal Mail said it remained on track to return to annual profit after a parcel boost over Christmas. The update was revealed as the …
Read More »European and American regulators clear £3.6bn sale of Royal Mail owner IDS
By DAILY MAIL CITY & FINANCE REPORTER Updated: 17:15 EST, 14 January 2025 The sale of Royal Mail cleared another hurdle last night after European and American regulators approved a £3.6billion takeover. International Distribution Services (IDS), which owns the postal service, said the deal has been cleared by the European …
Read More »Alliance Pharma agrees £350m takeover by fund manager
Alliance Pharma said its investors would receive 62.5p per share under the deal DBAY believes the cost of Alliance’s public listing impacts its long-term growth By HARRY WISE Updated: 08:44 EST, 10 January 2025 Alliance Pharma has agreed to a £350million takeover by its biggest shareholder, asset management group DBAY …
Read More »Joe Biden blocks US Steel sale over security fears
By GEOFF HO Updated: 16:51 EST, 3 January 2025 US Steel’s £11.4billion sale to a Japanese rival has been blocked by Joe Biden on national security grounds. Shares in the American giant fell around 7 per cent in response to the outgoing US president’s decision to block the sale to …
Read More »End stamp duty on shares to save City, Chancellor told
Senior figures line up to urge Rachel Reeves to ditch ‘pernicious tax’ Fears it is deterring investment in UK Low valuations leave companies on UK stock market vulnerable to predators By HUGO DUNCAN Updated: 21:50, 3 January 2025 Britain must axe stamp duty on share trading to revive the flagging …
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