Labour to unveil new Birmingham-Manchester rail link after HS2 fiasco January 13, 2026 Ministers are poised to unveil plans to build a new railway line running from Birmingham to Manchester as part of a major overhaul of rail infrastructure in the North – but it won’t break ground for roughly a decade. Rachel Reeves will reveal the heavily delayed shake-up of east-west railway lines across the north of [...]
Brooks Koepka return puts PGA Tour and LIV Golf back on collision course January 13, 2026 Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour shows that it and LIV Golf are back to being rivals again, says former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley. The PGA Tour this week confirmed it had accepted Koepka’s application to rejoin the circuit and opened the door for other high-profile LIV Golf defectors Bryson DeChambeau, Jon [...]
After Grok, should the UK opt for an Australia-style social media ban? January 13, 2026 When, in December, Australia enacted a nationwide ban of social media platforms for under-16s, critics called it heavy-handed, and easy to bypass. This week, as Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok flooded the social media platform, X, with AI-generated explicit photos of women and girls, some even involving minors, that argument begins to lose its legs. [...]
FRC chief urges audit reform before next corporate scandal January 13, 2026 The boss of the accountancy regulator has issued a direct warning to the government, urging them to pass audit reform legislation during “peacetime” rather than waiting for a major corporate collapse or scandal. Speaking on the latest episode of the Following the Rules podcast, Financial Reporting Council (FRC) CEO Richard Moriarty, said: “Given the thinking that’s gone [...]
Fortnum & Mason: Profit surges at King’s grocer January 13, 2026 Profit at Fortnum & Mason surged by more than 60 per cent as its sales also ticked up during its latest financial year, new figures have revealed. The iconic London store has posted a pre-tax profit of £15m for the 12 months to the end of July 2025, a rise from £9.3m. The firm’s turnover [...]
Vast majority of Brits expect more damaging tax hikes in 2026 January 13, 2026 Nearly four in five Brits are bracing themselves for further tax rises this year, with voters fearing that more money going into government coffers will damage growth. Keir Starmer has kicked off the year with pitches on improving the cost of living for millions of people across the country. Extra welfare payments for some families [...]
Jamie Dimon warns markets are under-estimating global risks January 13, 2026 The boss of JP Morgan, Jamie Dimon, has warned global markets not to underestimate current risks, as the US banking giant hiked its provisions for bad loans. The world’s most influential banker said that whilst the US economy had remained “resilient” and consumer and business trends were “generally healthy,” ongoing risks persisted. “Markets seem to under-appreciate [...]
CVC-backed Teneo establishes New Zealand footprint via PwC deal January 13, 2026 Advisory firm Teneo is to acquire PwC New Zealand’s business restructuring services unit as part of its Asia-Pacific expansion strategy. The deal, which is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close at the end of February 2026, will see 22 members of PwC New Zealand’s business restructuring services team join Teneo. This [...]
Central banks throw weight behind Fed after Trump assault January 13, 2026 Some of the world’s most prominent central banks have issued a full-throated support of the Federal Reserve and its chair Jay Powell, after Donald Trump’s campaign against its independence escalated with a Department of Justice legal action. In an unusual joint intervention, 11 central banking chiefs declared they stood in “full solidarity” with the Fed’s [...]
THG rises after revenue beats top end of guidance January 13, 2026 THG shares rose on Tuesday after the e-commerce business boasted a surge in second-half revenue amid a rise in Christmas season demand. The Manchester-based business, known for its wellness and beauty brands like Myprotein and Lookfantastic, said its second-half revenue came in around 14 per cent ahead of the top end of its guidance, led [...]
