Business & Tech
The latest stories from independent business & tech media.
FCA bans ex-Vector Wealth chief over high-risk bond scandal
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has banned former Vector Wealth chief executive Jeffrey Dawkins over a high-risk bond scandal. The regulator also fined Dawkins almost £270,000 after finding he acted dishonestly to help a disqualified director use the firm's regulatory…
John Lewis and Waitrose strike union recognition deal with Usdaw
The John Lewis Partnership has signed a collective agreement with retail trade union Usdaw, covering employees across John Lewis, Waitrose and John Lewis Money.
Off the Record: Matt Campbell – ‘I’ve seen how underserved the LGBTQ+ community is’
After a decade in corporate banking, Matt Campbell took a career break that eventually led him into financial advice and the creation of his own firm, Stadium Wealth. But what began as a search for a more fulfilling career has also developed into a commitment
IHT receipts hit record £936m in September
Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts reached a record £936m in September as frozen thresholds and rising asset values continue to pull more estates into the net. This figure took the amount the Treasury collected for the first six months of 2026/27 to £4.72bn. The September figure
Nvidia picks OpenShell to tame AI gents
Give your agents freedom to do useful work by locking them down
EU wants Booking.com to check out of its scam problem
Commission opens DSA probe into fake listings and phishing on the platform, says its fraud defenses 'absolutely substandard'
Indian certification authority eMudhra’s private keys compromised – one of them was the number ‘4’
Massive clean-up job under way because this mess makes it possible to impersonate any website or service
Java crashes the departure board at Tyne and Wear Metro
Train times remain on show as an elderly Windows dialog demands attention
The spec is the new code, so brush up on your prose, says Kaseya CTO
Domain expertise and clear writing will matter more than syntax, and yes, that means documentation
Happiness is the next AI KPI if Oxford boffins have their way
Researchers say public subsidies for AI should be repaid in wellbeing, not just economic growth
MPs urge UK government to play venture capitalist with taxpayer-funded tech
Watchdog says Whitehall is too timid about taking stakes in British startups, leaving taxpayers at risk of missing out when they strike gold
State pension to surpass personal tax allowance threshold as inflation rises to 3.5%
The state pension is set to exceed the personal tax allowance threshold for the first time next April as UK inflation rose to 3.5% in September. The latest Consumer Prices Index (CPI) figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that inflation increased by
Dan Wiltshire: Ignore the AI prophets of doom
By now we’re all acutely aware that there’s this thing called AI and this thing is going to change the world. We’ve been bashed around the head with this stuff for years now. Even my Nan’s using it. We get it – it’s here and
Nervous ISPs replace Chrome as strange consumers of DNS resources
Some network operators like to wear belts and suspenders to keep their services up
Carrefour cuts profit forecast as French riots and looting hit 50 stores
Carrefour has slashed its full-year profit outlook after widespread riots and looting across France damaged dozens of its stores, disrupted trading and pushed up operating costs.
Critical PHP vulnerabilities: POC released, attacks starting
The Morning Briefing: State pension set to exceed personal tax allowance for first time as inflation rises to 3.5%
Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Wednesday 21 October 2026. To get this in your inbox every morning
STACKUP: The Stack's weekly tech startups and funding wrap
India's largest bank hit by cyberattack
State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest lending institution by assets, has launched an internal investigation after an alleged cyberattack exposed user's personal information.
AG1 CEO Tim Harrington on taking on the highstreet and the booming interest in health
As AG1 enters Holland & Barrett, CEO Tim Harrington discusses creators, credibility and the challenge of justifying £3 a day… AG1’s latest marketing experiment comes in a five-pack.
Singapore's Sea plans IPO for fintech arm Monee
Singapore-based conglomerate is planng to float its fintech arm, Monee, on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX)
Kylie Jenner’s Victoria’s Secret debut: industry reacts to the power of celebrity casting
Victoria’s Secret returned to the runway on October 18, bringing its annual fashion spectacle back to Los Angeles with a mix of established models and celebrity star power. Among the headline moments was Barbara Palvin’s return just six weeks after giving birth.
UK inflation jumps to 3.5 per cent as rising fuel costs pile on pressure
UK inflation has climbed to 3.5 per cent in September, its highest level in almost a year, as soaring fuel prices threaten to put further pressure on retailers.
M&S, Asda and Sainsbury’s back calls for tougher human rights and environmental laws
The likes of M&S, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Asos have joined calls for new legislation that would force UK businesses to tackle human rights abuses and environmental damage across their supply chains.
Crew Clothing ramps up UK expansion with Westfield London opening
Crew Clothing has opened a new store at Westfield London in White City, marking the latest step in its ongoing UK retail expansion. The company has launched a 1,690 sq ft store at the shopping centre, following recent openings at Meadowhall in Sheffield and Bluewater in Kent.
Amazon to hire over 300,000 workers for Christmas rush
Amazon is reportedly set to recruit more than 300,000 additional workers ahead of the Christmas trading period, marking its first increase in seasonal hiring in three years.
L’Oréal and Natura target ‘Ozempic face’ as weight-loss jabs spark beauty boom
Beauty giants including L’Oréal, Natura and Galderma are developing treatments to tackle the effects of rapid weight loss on the skin. The companies are testing products designed to address facial sagging, reduced skin firmness and volume loss, commonly referred to as ‘Ozempic…
Starling build agentic fincrime investigator that takes 17 seconds
Starling has deployed an agentic "financial crime investigator" that the UK digital bank says can carry out an end-to-end investigation within 17 seconds.
