Royal Mail has announced a 30p increase in the price of a first class stamp, explaining the “urgent” financial challenge it faces. The price of first class stamps will increase to £1.65 on October 7 while second class stamps will remain at 85p. First class stamp prices increased by 10p toContinue Reading
Insurers’ failed appeals against a “landmark” ruling over a £16 million Covid-19 pandemic-losses claim brought by London’s ExCel centre could allow thousands of other businesses to pursue payouts, lawyers have said. On Friday, the Court of Appeal rejected a bid by insurance firms to reverse a June 2023 High CourtContinue Reading
The average UK house price hit a two-year high in August, up 0.3% on the previous month, according to new data from Halifax. The building society said the typical property now costs £292,505, according to its model, which uses data from across the UK. August’s small monthly rise comes afterContinue Reading
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster over its handling of selling Oasis tickets. CMA said its investigation would include how so-called “dynamic pricing” may have been used and would scrutinise whether the sale of tickets by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law. TheContinue Reading
Global markets faced a late-afternoon dip on Thursday as investor sentiment took a turn for the worst, despite good news on the UK’s housebuilding sector helping lift top developer stocks. The UK’s FTSE 100 had been treading water earlier in the day, with strong gains for housebuilder Vistry offset byContinue Reading
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband has claimed that “Labour came in and fixed” last year’s failed offshore wind auction. On social media, the minister wrote: “Last year, the Conservatives oversaw a disastrous result – with ZERO new offshore wind projects. Labour came in and fixed this. TheContinue Reading
The live music sector made a record contribution to the UK economy in 2023, as sold-out tours from the likes of Coldplay, Elton John and Beyonce buoyed ticket sales and hospitality around venues. New analysis shows the industry’s economic impact was £6.1bn last year, a 17 per cent uplift versusContinue Reading
Vistry has said it sold more homes this year, as it expects its focus on building affordable properties to play a “key role” in helping the Government achieve its housing targets. The Kent-based developer said it completed 7,792 house sales in the first half of the year – 9% moreContinue Reading
The proportion of former rental properties entering the sales market has reached a record high, driven by landlords’ concerns over a potential rise in capital gains tax (CGT) in the forthcoming budget, according to property website Rightmove. Currently, 18% of properties for sale were previously rented out, compared to justContinue Reading
The UK’s private sector economy grew more rapidly than anticipated in August, with businesses expressing concerns over potential tax increases in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s upcoming first budget. The S&P Global composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose to 53.8 in August from 52.8 in July, surpassing analysts’ predictions of 53.4 andContinue Reading
