Serco: Defence spending pushes order pipeline to 10-year high August 7, 2025 Government services firm Serco’s order pipeline has risen to the highest in more than a decade as countries across Europe and North America ramp up their defence budgets. The firm’s pipeline stood at £11.9bn, up six per cent compared to the end of last year, with as much as 80 per cent of its order [...]
WPP shares plunge again on halved dividend and strategic review August 7, 2025 Shares in advertising giant WPP dropped by as much as 4.7 per cent on Thursday morning after it revealed it would launch a strategic review and halve its interim dividend amid falling profit and stagnant revenue. The embattled media group, which owns major agencies like global PR shop Burson and creative juggernaut Ogilvy, revealed its [...]
House builder blames ‘broken planning system’ and interest rates for loss August 7, 2025 In independent house builder has blamed the “broken planning system” and high interest rates putting off first time buyers for it falling into the red. Cheshire-based Eccleston Homes has reported a pre-tax loss of £1.2m for the 12 months to 31 October, 2024, down from the £2m profit it achieved in the prior year. New [...]
Huawei issues UK sales warning as restrictions hit hard August 7, 2025 The UK arm of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has issued a warning over its future sales as restrictions on its activities continue to have a major impact. The Reading-headquartered business has said its turnover in 2025 will continue on the downward trajectory it has been on since 2019 but that the company will remain profitable. [...]
House prices rise ahead of key Bank of England rate decision August 7, 2025 House prices rose at their fastest pace since the start of the year in July, as buyers shake off concerns about higher property taxes and push ahead with purchases. Prices rose 0.4 per cent in June, according to the latest index from Halifax, with the average property price now £298,237 compared to £297,157 last month. [...]
Shawbrook expands loan book ahead of mooted London float August 7, 2025 Specialist lender Shawbrook expanded its loan book in the first half of the year helping profit soar. The bank – which is owned by private equity firm Pollen Street Capital – recorded a 35 per cent jump in profit before tax to £168.6m as its loan book grew 14 per cent to £17bn. Deposits were [...]
Vanquis swings to profit with recovery ‘on track’ August 7, 2025 Bradford-based lender Vanquis swung back into profitability for the first half of the year following on from a bruising period in the last 12 months. The bank recorded a profit before tax of £6.2m, compared to a £91.9m loss for the second half of 2024. Net interest income remained stable with one per cent growth [...]
InsurTech funding slumps despite AI demand August 7, 2025 Global funding for InsurTech startups slumped in the second quarter of the year despite demand for AI as companies looked to the tech to help drive efficiencies and process claims. According to the second-quarter 2025 Global InsurTech Report, a collaboration between Gallagher Re and CB Insights, global InsurTech funding declined by 16.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter [...]
Exclusive: British Basketball Federation defends deadline extension for GBBL August 7, 2025 The British Basketball Federation says it was “entirely appropriate” to extend the deadline for GBBL, the company which will take over the licence to run the top-tier league next year, to prove it had the guaranteed capital required. GBBL, fronted by former NBA executive Marshall Glickman, was originally mandated to demonstrate it had £15.5m in [...]
Deliveroo: Earnings shoot up ahead of Doordash acquisition August 7, 2025 Deliveroo has announced a boost to its earnings driven by a ‘more resilient than expected’ consumer, although profit has taken a hit ahead of its acquisition by American delivery giant Doordash. Revenue rose nine per cent in the six months ended June 30, with orders up eight per cent, Deliveroo told markets this morning. Order [...]
