Business & Tech
The latest stories from independent business & tech media.
Inside ASOS’ AW26 partywear push as ‘going out top’ searches soar 300%
The online fashion giant previewed a partywear collection built around bold styling, escapist textures and statement accessories, while offering an early look at the trends set to land in January and February.
Poundland founder warns staff could be ‘out of work for years’ if chain collapses
Poundland founder Steve Smith has warned that thousands of employees could struggle to find work for years if the chain collapses. Smith, who founded the retailer in 1990, said the potential loss of 12,000 jobs would have devastating consequences for workers and their families…
Leader: ETFs could open the door to a new generation of investors
Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs as they are more affectionately known in the jargon-filled world of financial advice, have come a long way from their origins as a relatively niche and largely passive investment vehicle. The concept is nothing new, of course. The first modern ETF
Raspberry Pi hikes prices again, barely a month after the last round
Memory crunch pushes 16GB Pi 5 to $385, more than triple its launch price, just a month after the last round of hikes
Ex-FCA supervisor warns FCA is repeating past mistakes
A former Financial Conduct Authority supervisor has warned the FCA is repeating governance mistakes criticised by Parliament more than a decade ago by appointing one of its own non-executive directors to lead a review into its treatment of whistleblower Simon Andriesz.
CVE-2026-98432: Fears mount over Linux kernel networking bug. Are they justified?
Red Hat says RHEL 8, 9, 10 “directly exposed”, multiple AWS services need action; 2 million servers exposed?
Apple's Mac business is booming, but the memory market has other plans
New CEO John Ternus toasts record sales as soaring RAM costs threaten supplies and squeeze margins
Broadcom denied names of cloud providers backing VMware merger challenge
EU court's confidentiality ruling clears a procedural hurdle, not the merits of CISPE's case against Commission approval
FCA unveils new rules to regulate ESG ratings providers
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has finalised rules bringing environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings providers under UK regulation for the first time.
Marvell's history-making deal for Lumentum a test of the AI data center boom
The $115-billion all-stock deal hinges on demand for optical networking components to power AI inference.
Supermarket freezers hacked across Europe as cyberattacks destroy food stock
Supermarkets across Europe have been forced to throw away thousands of pounds worth of food after hackers took control of their refrigeration systems, sending temperatures soaring to as high as 50C.
UK.gov lacks understanding of climate impact, says watchdog
Risks of changing climate and cost of transition to low-carbon energy poorly measured by government departments
Openwork selects Plannr for adviser technology transformation
The Openwork Partnership has selected adviser technology firm Plannr as a core technology partner for a major platform overhaul. The network said the changes could save advisers up to an hour on each client case. Plannr will provide the central CRM and adviser operating system
Final_FINAL_v7.docx is not a version control strategy
EVENT: Join The Register for dinner in London on 24 November and hear, off the record, how your peers are fixing it.
Chris Jones: The more certain I was, the more often I was wrong
For a long time, there has been profit in the asymmetry of information between our industry and the consumer. In the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, professional intermediaries gained instant access to consistent information through technology.
Forget retraining - AI can now tweak another AI's weights
'Weight-Space Programming' fiddles with nerd knobs to boost benchmark scores
Hugo Boss cuts profit forecast with weak demand hitting sales
Hugo Boss has lowered its full-year sales and profit forecasts, citing weaker consumer demand and higher technology-related costs. It now expects operating profit of between £209m and £251m for 2026, down from its previous forecast of £251m to £293m.
Primark owner warns of further profit decline after 14% slump
Primark owner Associated British Foods has warned that profits will fall again next year after reporting a 14 per cent decline in annual earnings.
Government sets out guided retirement plans for DC pension savers
The government has launched a consultation on plans to introduce default retirement income options for around 17 million private sector pension savers.
The Morning Briefing: Ex-FCA supervisor warns FCA is repeating past mistakes; Openwork selects Plannr for tech overhaul
Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Tuesday 3 November 2026. To get this in your inbox every morning
WATCH Lidl recruits Barry from EastEnders for musical 2026 Christmas campaign
Lidl has teamed up with EastEnders star Shaun Williamson, best known for playing Barry Evans in the BBC soap, to front its 2026 Christmas advertising campaign.
Could your existing in-store network become a retail media channel?
Retailers looking to grow in-store media do not always need to start from scratch. An existing digital network can provide a strong foundation if it supports the experience, operations, and commercial needs of a media business… Retail media has expanded beyond retailer websites…
Asda swaps festive sentiment for high-energy ‘BOOM’ Christmas campaign
Asda has unveiled its 2026 Christmas advertising campaign, ditching traditional sentimental storytelling in favour of high-energy celebrations. Created by Lucky Generals and directed by Finn Keenan, the campaign centres on the message ‘All of Christmas at Asda Price. BOOM!’.
Sports Direct and Nike recruit Erling Haaland for star-studded Christmas advert
Sports Direct and Nike have teamed up with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland for a Christmas campaign featuring some of the biggest names in sport and music.
Black Friday discount war risks backfiring as UK shoppers cut budgets by a third
More consumers are expected to shop the Black Friday sales in 2026, but a sharp fall in planned spending is forcing retailers to rethink blanket promotions, high-value baskets and the true cost of chasing volume.
Very unveils AI-assisted Christmas advert starring new flamingo family
Very has unveiled its Christmas advert for 2026, introducing a family of animated flamingos in its first campaign to combine CGI with AI-assisted animation.
Estée Lauder raises annual outlook as sales jump 7%
Estée Lauder has raised its annual sales and profit forecasts following stronger demand for luxury fragrances and skincare, which helped it deliver better-than-expected results.
Zalando beats sales expectations with profit rise and AI shopping push
Zalando has beaten third-quarter sales expectations, citing strong growth in its business-to-business division. It reported a 5.1 per cent rise in revenue to £2.8bn for the three months to September, ahead of the £2.63bn forecast by analysts surveyed by LSEG.
John Lewis unveils 2026 Christmas advert starring Kristin Scott Thomas
John Lewis has officially unveiled its much-anticipated 2026 Christmas advert, starring Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and Paul Whitehouse. Titled Gloria and Pickles, the three-minute advert centres on the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren, encouraging shoppers to…
AllSaints appoints Reiss ecommerce boss as global digital director
AllSaints has appointed former Reiss ecommerce boss Emine Kaptanoglu as its global digital director. Kaptanoglu, who joined the company yesterday, will oversee the digital commercial strategy and online customer experience across both AllSaints and John Varvatos.