Business & Tech
The latest stories from independent business & tech media.
Former Downing team launches £405m alternatives boutique
A team of former Downing investment professionals has launched boutique asset manager Capel Asset Management following a management buyout. The new firm launches with more than £405m of assets under management and is targeting growing demand for liquid alternatives and…
Legacy sign-on service comes back to bite school software provider Bromcom
Intruders retrieved email addresses from superseded tech kept running for an internal system
BT buys TalkTalk out of administration to keep 2.5M customers connected
Rescue carries an estimated £400M cash impact as Virgin Media declares move 'a stitchup'
At the Helm: Are CVs still relevant when you’re recruiting?
Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be both a help and a hindrance for businesses trying to recruit the right people. If job applicants use AI to write CVs and covering letters, this speeds up the process and enables them to apply for more jobs, thereby
Windows 11 market share creeps upwards as cost of staying on Windows 10 set to double
How badly do you want that Win10 device to keep getting security updates?
Tesco loses court fight against Sainsbury’s £17m Dumfries debut
Tesco has lost a court battle over Sainsbury’s £17m first supermarket in Dumfries, after challenging the council decision that allowed its rival to move into a former Homebase store.
Tesco eyes takeover of Majestic Wine
Tesco is considering a takeover of Majestic Wine as it joins the auction for Britain’s largest specialist wine retailer. It is among a number of bidders circling the business after owner Fortress Investment Group launched a formal sale process several weeks ago.
What people say about their file infrastructure once the badge comes off
Joe Fay chairs a Register dinner in Soho on 20 October where infrastructure leaders compare notes on the file estate they inherited, off the record.
IPTF completes 7 Claims Stories series with deep dive on claims handling
The Income Protection Task Force (IPTF) has published the last instalment of its 7 Claims Stories series, an industry-wide project that has spent the past 18 months looking at the income protection (IP) claims journey.
Goldman Sachs buys $220m of Shein shares after IPO slump
Goldman Sachs bought around $220m of Shein shares in September as part of efforts to support the company’s stock after its Hong Kong listing. The bank acquired almost 42m shares while acting as stabilisation manager for Shein’s IPO, according to the Financial Times.
Neil Jones: The tale of tax-free cash withdrawals
It’s confession time. Every now and then I find myself ‘steering wheel drumming’ or foot tapping along to a country music classic. It catches me out every time, and with the recent resurgence of interest in country music following the passing of Dolly Parton, I've
Buyer missed one option and got 1% of the cable they needed
Silly supplier ended up short-changing themselves
Poundstretcher opens wholesale clearance store at HQ months after rescue
Poundstretcher has opened a wholesale clearance shop at its Leicestershire distribution centre, giving local traders access to its products by the case at wholesale prices.
Brighter isn't better and more is less. The AI slowdown is nigh, no matter who says what
Community finance and open banking technology can support ‘credit invisibles’ – Salad Finance
People with low credit, whether due to a missed payment or a period of financial insecurity, are often disproportionately punished by the financial system by not being given loans, credit cards, and other forms of consumer credit.
The Morning Briefing: IPTF completes 7 Claims Stories series with deep dive on claims handling
Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Monday 5 October 2026. To get this in your inbox every morning
Weird Fish credits “diversified model” for 55% jump in profit
Cornwall-founded fashion brand Weird Fish has reported a 54.8 per cent leap in operating profit to £6.5m, in its full 2025 results. In the financial year ending 28 December 2025, Weird Fish achieved a 48 per cent rise in EBITDA excluding exceptional items to £8m.
APAC consumers show appetite for stablecoin
Almost half of consumers in Asia Pacific would be willing to use stablecoins in the next five years, according to recently published research from Visa
CaixaBank establishes new AI and data division
Spanish financial services firm CaixaBank has created its first AI and data division in a move designed to accelerate the bank's digital transformation efforts.
Hotel Chocolat: occasion first, range and partnerships follow
The chocolatier is placing curated ranges in new channels to capture everything from the weekly shop to last-minute gifting, without diluting its premium positioning. Hotel Chocolat sees the potential in carefully chosen partnerships.
HelloFresh tackles ‘whats for dinner?’ with new campaign fronted by Paul C. Brunson
HelloFresh has partnered with Married at First Sight’s Paul C. Brunson for a new campaign highlighting the “hidden stresses” around cooking and meal times.
Lidl sales hit £13bn as it gains ground on Aldi with 50-store push
Lidl has pushed annual sales past £13bn after attracting 43m more customer visits. Its now preparing to open more than 50 stores in an attempt to close the gap on Aldi.
Frasers is “building out a luxury retail ecosystem”
Frasers is stepping up its push into luxury retail with the launch of a dedicated luxury division, bringing together Flannels, Harvey Nichols and The Webster alongside its growing portfolio of luxury brands.
Levi’s expands Wear Longer initiative to London and Paris
Levi’s has rolled out its Wear Longer project, which is designed to promote repair, to the UK and French capitals. Following the successful launch in the US market last January, the programme has reached nearly 90,000 young people across the States through in-school lessons and…
Tesco sets supermarket precedent with paid ‘safe leave’ for domestic abuse victims
Tesco has become the first UK supermarket to guarantee paid ‘safe leave’ for employees experiencing domestic abuse. Britain’s largest private-sector employer will give staff up to three days, or 21 hours, of additional paid leave to deal with the practical consequences of abuse.
Temu UK revenue jumps 171% but import duty crackdown looms large
Temu’s UK revenue jumped by 171 per cent to $171m last year, however changes to import rules that could push up the cost of its goods significantly.
Frasers to convert Harvey Nichols Bristol and Leeds stores to Flannels
Frasers Group is reportedly set to convert Harvey Nichols’ Bristol and Leeds stores into Flannels. The direction comes as chief executive Michael Murray sets out his plans for the luxury department store following its acquisition in August.
Spies, prime ministers, and balls: The BBC Domesday project @ 40
The Centre for Computing History gathers the minds behind the project and the ones keeping it alive today
