Business & Tech
The latest stories from independent business & tech media.
Torvalds: AI is fine for competent devs, but spare us the 'drive-by' patches
Kernel maintainers stop asking who used AI, as long as the code is good
Musk disputes NASA safety panel's lunar launch estimates
Watchdog also warns retiring Falcon and Dragon could leave US access to orbit short of a backup
Beware the claw: Do you want to win the bunny or reboot Android?
Classic arcade game put to shame by judgemental Bugdroid
Supreme Court refuses Tesco appeal in equal pay case
Tesco has been refused permission to appeal to the Supreme Court over a key ruling in its long-running equal pay dispute with more than 16,000 current and former shop workers.
DPUs are creeping into the enterprise spotlight
DPUs help hyperscalers get the most bang for their buck on bare-metal CPUs. Enterprises are starting to take note.
FCA reports failure to identify conflicts of interest among private market firms
Private market firms are failing to identify conflicts of interest adequately or keep their controls up to date, according to a recent FCA review. While the regulator found examples of good practice by firms across private equity, private credit and real estate asset classes, it
FCA restricts six firms over money laundering concerns
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has imposed restrictions on six firms after identifying concerns about their anti-money laundering (AML) policies, controls and procedures during assessments of their registration applications.
BOFH: I talked to Claude and he says you're an idiot
You know what's really sick? Getting to the pub on time on a Friday
How business leaders can bring employees on board with AI transformation
But as business leaders push ahead with AI adoption, many are facing a significant challenge: bringing employees along on the transformation journey. The technology
Fairstone acquires Somerset advice firm, adding £125m in assets
Wealth management group Fairstone has completed the full acquisition of Taunton-based 1st Financial Group, boosting its client assets by £125m.
UK threatens subsea cable saboteurs with 14 years behind bars
Whitehall wants tougher penalties and new powers over telecoms operators as Russian activity raises alarm
Stuart Breyer: The FCA just told firms what good AI looks like
Most of the coverage of the FCA’s speech this week has been about consumers, disclaimers and the four in five investors under 40 using AI without understanding they have no recourse if it goes wrong. Fair concerns, but the more useful part for firms has
FCA vows to dismantle ‘tickbox compliance’ and tackle AI-driven market risks
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) chief executive Nikhil Rathi has pledged to strip back unnecessary compliance burdens and deploy the regulator’s existing powers more assertively to combat fast-evolving digital and system-wide threats.
Vendor-affiliated AI agent tech gets adopted by friendly, funded foundation
Four projects for facilitating AI agents move under vendor-neutral governance
HSBC launches first stablecoin
Global bank HSBC has launched RedCoin, its first stablecoin, for public use.
Arne launches six-month pop-up at Bluewater Shopping Centre
Fashion brand Arne has launched a pop up at Landsec’s Bluewater Shopping Centre, marking its first retail location in the South East.
The Week in Brief – 19 Oct to 23 Oct
’s must-reads: Top 10 stories of the week Platform governance disputes and looming retirement tax pressures take centre stage across the wealth management landscape this week. FNZ directors are set to face a New Zealand court over shareholder claims, while the state pension is
Superdry opens first Argentina store as international retailers flock to market
Superdry has opened its first store in Argentina, joining a wave of international retailers entering the country as President Javier Milei’s economic reforms ease restrictions on businesses.
The Morning Briefing: FCA vows to dismantle ‘tickbox compliance’ and tackle AI-driven market risks
Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Friday 23 October 2026. To get this in your inbox every morning
L’Oréal sales reach €35.3bn as fragrance and haircare drive growth
L’Oréal has reported a 7.7% rise in sales to €35.34bn in the first nine months of 2026, as strong demand for fragrances, haircare and skincare helped the beauty group outperform the wider market.
US fintech Coast secures $35m for physical economy payments platform
New York-based startup Coast has raised $35m for the launch of a payment platform designed to support companies working in the physical economy.
Sierra Miller and Idris Elba model Barbour International anniversary collection
Barbour International has celebrated its 90th anniversary by unveiling a new collection, modelled by its global brand champions Idris Elba and Sienna Miller. Barbour International was founded in 1936 by Duncan Barbour.
New Look reopens revamped Bristol store with first-of-its-kind 915 concept
New Look has reopened its refurbished Cribbs Causeway store in Bristol today. The 9,044 sq ft store features a refreshed layout, dedicated spaces for its latest womenswear, footwear and accessories collections, and a new shopping concept for younger customers.
Coca-Cola puts consumers in charge of Christmas Truck tour in new festive campaign
Coca-Cola has launched a new consumer-led Christmas campaign, giving the public the chance to vote for where its iconic Christmas Truck will visit for the first time.
Debenhams Group returns to profit for first time in five years as turnaround accelerates
Debenhams Group has swung back into profit for the first time in five years. The company, which owns Debenhams, PrettyLittleThing, boohoo and Karen Millen, reported a pre-tax profit of £28.3m for the six months to 31 August, compared with a £17.9m loss a year earlier.
Aldo Group extends Bleckmann logistics partnership until 2031
Aldo Group has extended its logistics partnership with Bleckmann for another five years, securing the agreement until July 2031. The Canadian footwear and accessories brand has worked with Bleckmann since 2016, with the logistics provider handling its warehousing, transport…
Selfridges unveils city-inspired Christmas campaign across UK stores
Selfridges has launched its 2026 Christmas campaign, transforming its stores into festive cityscapes inspired by destinations around the world.
Consumer confidence suffers biggest fall since Covid as cost-of-living pressures mount
UK consumer confidence has plunged at its fastest rate since the Covid pandemic. The latest GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer revealed an 11-point drop in October to -24, down from -13 in September, marking the sharpest monthly decline since the early months of the pandemic.
Hermès sales growth slows as China and Middle East weakness hits luxury giant
Hermès has reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter sales, citing slowing demand in China and continued instability in the Middle East. The Birkin bag maker saw revenue rise 4.3 per cent at constant exchange rates to £3.6bn in the three months to September, falling short of…