Business & Tech
The latest stories from independent business & tech media.
Bank of England raises interest rates for the first time in three years
The Bank of England has raised interest rates from 3.75% to 4% today (5 November) following a sharp uptick in UK inflation. The rate hike, which was widely predicted by analysts and economists, is the bank's first in more than three years. Annual inflation, as
SAP promises to open out data flows in both directions
New commitment to Apache Iceberg and expanded Databricks partnership point to battle ahead over context layer
Aus department store David Jones collapses into administration after 188 years
Australian department store giant David Jones has fallen into administration after 188 years of trading, putting more than 6,000 jobs at risk.
M&G’s PruFund attracts £100m following Scottish Widows platform launch
M&G's PruFund has attracted more than £100m in net inflows following its launch on the Scottish Widows platform, as the investment manager prepares to expand distribution through another platform next year.
Royal London: Is your client’s workplace pension ready for what comes next?
Workplace pensions certainly don’t stand still. Regulatory and investment changes, technology advances and, importantly, the needs of members evolve. That creates a challenge for advisers.
Norway's aid agency pwned and all users' data is stolen
Norad said it cannot be sure that the details of those in 'conflict areas and authoritarian states' are safe or not
Microsoft admits certifications can be a drag, launches creds that recognize skills
‘Pro Badges’ don’t require a test, Microsoft awards them by watching you use GitHub
Royal London plans IT outsourcing shake-up as staff brace for redundancies
IBM deal could see tech jobs shipped to India, with cuts expected before Christmas
Meta brings Conductor on board its model train
Agent orchestration startup gets its exit
MPS capability will be the next battleground for platforms
Advisers will increasingly judge platforms on how effectively they support managed portfolio services (MPS) as the market continues to grow and face greater regulatory scrutiny, Morningstar Wealth managing director Mark Sanderson has told Money Marketing.
Dan Marsh: Let’s not miss the opportunity of the Starter Isa
Last week, chancellor John Healey announced that he was going to scrap the cut to the Cash Isa allowance. This was the right move. Squeezing Cash Isas was not going to push people into investing. He also announced that the government would work with industry
Asos swings back to profit as sales return to growth for first time in four years
Asos has swung to a pre-tax profit of £24.4m, returning to quarterly sales growth for the first time since 2022. It reported a statutory pre-tax profit of £24.4m for the 52 weeks to 30 August 2026, compared with a £281.6m loss the previous year, boosted by gains from the disposal…
When datacenters lose power, generators should kick in. That didn’t happen for Google in London
October outage caused by bad PLC config exposed at a time maintenance work reduced resilience
Manchester City and Puma launch flagship store at Medlock Square
Manchester City has opened a new flagship store at Medlock Square, East Manchester, with its strategic partner Puma and retail partner Stichd.
VMware quietly offers European users extended sales and support for low-end vSphere
Version 8 of Standard and Enterprise Plus will stay alive until October 2028
UK Christmas online spending to hit record £28.5bn as AI shopping surges
UK shoppers are expected to spend a record £28.52bn online this Christmas, up 6.2 per cent year-on-year, with AI set to significantly change the customer journey.
Uber says it alone can make robotaxis pay, hours after Waymo quit its app
Oh, the irony, as platform players fight
The LEGO Group unveils ‘magical’ Christmas ad
The LEGO Group has unveiled its Christmas ad campaign which invites families to take a peak behind the doors of its holiday workshop. Titled The Holiday Worksho‘, the campaign was directed by Michael Gracey, known for The Greatest Showman and Better Man.
Apple turns iCloud into spy cloud, will start looking at public share links
Content shared with anyone who has the URL will be scanned for 'harmful content,' though the iMaker hasn't defined that term
European fridge hacks: what UK retailers must do to keep the cold chain secure
Cyber attacks on connected refrigeration systems have exposed how quickly a digital breach can become a food safety, availability and business continuity crisis. Experts from across the sector examine the lessons for UK supermarkets and their suppliers.
Martin Thatcher on partnering with Aardman to bring craftsmanship, cider and festive magic to life
Thatchers Cider managing director Martin Thatcher tells Retail Gazette why the family-owned cider maker’s first festive campaign is about far more than selling a pint… When Martin Thatcher visited Aardman’s Bristol studios to see how his company’s first Christmas advert was…
AI accounting platform Kabilio raises €10m
Kabilio, a Barcelona-based AI platform for accounting firms and the small businesses they serve, has raised €10 million in a funding round led by Picus Capital and Visionaries.
Shein to invest €500m in European hub as EU parcel charges hit profits
Shein is investing €500m to expand its European logistics hub in Poland to counter rising EU import charges and speed up deliveries. It said the investment would significantly expand its operations near Wroclaw, strengthening its European supply chain and allowing it to fulfil…
UK food suppliers hit by cyber attacks targeting fridge and freezer systems
UK food suppliers have been caught up in the current wave of cyber attacks targeting refrigeration systems across Europe, raising fresh concerns over food safety and supply chain security.
PM orders Poundland owners to work with government to save stores and jobs
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has urged Poundland owner Gordon Brothers to work with the government to secure the future of the struggling discount chain, as around 12,000 jobs hang in the balance.
Gap unveils festive ‘Give Your Gift’ campaign ahead of Christmas
Gap has today revealed the launch of its Christmas campaign for 2026, titled ‘Give Your Gift’. Directed by Carissa Gallo, the campaign brings together three choirs, A Cappella Academy, Tonality and Sainted, to perform a reimagined version of the Jackson 5 classic ‘I’ll Be There’.
Capgemini: Multi-agent AI moves into banking and insurance, but orchestration remains limited
Financial institutions are struggling to scale multi-agent AI beyond pilot projects, with just 10% of banks and insurers having achieved enterprise-wide orchestration despite 59% piloting or deploying the technology, according to Capgemini research.
