Business & Tech
The latest stories from independent business & tech media.
Jev is rapidly rising to challenge the LLM for enterprise AI supremacy
The Jevolution will not be televised, because The Kettle is audio only
Open source datacenters and open source thinking will undo self-inflicted DC damage
Denial and distraction have served the bit barn barons very badly. Wise up
Certainties in life: Death, taxes, and critical Citrix vulns under attack
Sunday NetScaler patch dump fixes trio of critical vulns and five more serious messes
Techie assumed boss knew what they were talking about and killed Exchange by deleting data
Friday afternoon is not the time for snap decisions, but weekends are useful to cover your tracks
Annuity sales rise as retirees seek greater security
Annuity sales rose across a range of product types in 2025/26, with value protected, escalating and enhanced annuities all recording strong growth.
Ofcom pulls the plug on Openreach's aggressive fiber discount
Regulator intervenes after deciding altnets may be unable to match the offer and recover their costs
Starting Out: The art of revision, Part 1 – R01 for beginners
R01 is often the first exam that aspiring advisers take if they are studying for their Level 4 diploma with the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). It covers financial services, regulation and ethics, so that new entrants to the profession have a broad understanding of the
HMRC vowed to break up with Capgemini then paid it another £4.2B
Government wants public spending to back British business, but the French supplier could remain at the tax collector until 2036
Evri parcel disruption hits retailers nationwide amid network shake-up
Evri parcel services are facing disruption across shops and Post Office branches nationwide as it overhauls parts of its collection network. Retailers have reported delayed collections, growing parcel backlogs and problems with parcels remaining in stores for several days…
IPTF broadens focus beyond income protection
The Income Protection Task Force (IPTF) is to broaden how it describes its work from 2027, placing greater emphasis on financial resilience across the individual protection market.
MPS assets set to pass £250bn as adviser demand grows
Assets held in discretionary model portfolio services (MPS) on adviser platforms are on course to exceed £250bn before the end of 2026, according to Platforum. The research firm said MPS assets under management reached more than £240bn at the end of June, up 12.5% during
Nubank in talks to take over Monzo
Brazilian neobank Nubank is reportedly eyeing a takeover of UK digital bank Monzo, in a deal that would value the British challenger at $10 billion.
Looking Ahead: Birthdays, Budgets and big questions
October is a month I have always associated with excessive expenditure. Not only does my birthday fall in October – something I feel increasingly less inclined to celebrate as I edge closer to 50 – but a disproportionate number of friends and family members also
The AI-related compliance and governance failures are starting to add up
Enterprise AI apps are coming online, which means enterprise compliance and governance policies are being pushed to new limits.
£68m paid into children’s pensions as families tackle IHT
Around 35,000 children received payments into their pension pots over the past year as families looked for ways to reduce potential inheritance tax liabilities, according to Lubbock Fine Wealth Management.
Läderach launches upsized concession in Selfridges
Läderach has expanded its presence at Selfridges London with a significantly larger concession in the department store’s newly refreshed chocolate hall.
The Cotswold Company to launch 17th showroom in Chester
The Cotswold Company has announced plans to open its 17th showroom at 44 Foregate Street, Chester.
Sainsbury’s Money launches Nectar-linked loans in NatWest partnership
Sainsbury’s Money has launched its first personal loans with NatWest Boxed, offering Nectar members a representative APR of 6.3 per cent. The launch marks the first product to go live under the long-term strategic partnership between Sainsbury’s Money and NatWest, which was…
Armani to open stake sale talks with LVMH and L’Oréal
Armani is preparing to begin talks with LVMH, L’Oréal and EssilorLuxottica over the sale of a minority stake in the luxury fashion house. The Italian group is expected to hold meetings with the three companies in the coming weeks, in line with instructions left by founder Giorgio…
How a £3million investment strengthened Queensgate Peterborough’s retail proposition
It’s been a big couple of months for Queensgate Peterborough, with the shopping centre announcing that Boots, Primark and Vision Express had made significant store refurbishments in August.
Essential Parfums CEO Géraldine Archambault on its UK store debut
Fragrance enthusiasts will be pleased to know that French perfumery Essential Parfums is making its UK debut in October.
Hunter celebrates 170 years with new campaign fronted by Kate Moss
Hunter has launched a new campaign starring Kate Moss to celebrate its 170 years. Moss first started championing the brand over two decades ago, incorporating Hunter’s Original Tall Wellington Boot into her style.
Morrisons sells off pharmacies as turnaround drive continues
Morrisons has reportedly begun selling off parts of its pharmacy estate as it looks to streamline and focus on its core grocery operations. The company has been seeking buyers for dozens of its in-store pharmacies, with sites being sold on a branch-by-branch basis rather than as…
Iceland taps AI to cut food waste across stores
Iceland Foods has confirmed the creation of a new initiative which will roll out AI-powered technology aimed at reducing food waste across its store estate.
Deliveroo’s Suzy McClintock: on-demand grocery is becoming a weekly habit
Deliveroo is nominated for Grocer of the Year at this year’s RG Excellence Awards, Suzy McClintock, VP of new verticals, explains why shoppers are using rapid grocery delivery for more than emergency top-ups.
Poundland moves to reassure suppliers after credit insurers pull cover
Poundland has moved to reassure suppliers over its financial position after credit insurers stopped providing new cover to some companies trading with the chain.
John Lewis pushes further into experiences with fine art and luxury holidays
John Lewis is ramping up its push into services and experiences as it expands in-store concessions, spanning fine art and luxury holidays. The department store group is broadening its shop-in-shop offer as it looks to give shoppers more reasons to visit its stores beyond…
West End retailers call for business rates overhaul and tourist spending incentive
London’s West End businesses are urging the government to overhaul business rates, step up action on retail crime and introduce a new incentive to boost spending by international visitors as part of a major growth plan for the shopping district.
Amazon hikes UK warehouse pay to more than £31,000 a year
Amazon has increased pay for tens of thousands of its UK frontline workers, taking minimum full-time salaries above £31,000 a year. The company has raised its minimum starting wage for operations staff by up to 5.6 per cent, with hourly pay now starting at £15.10 and rising to…