Oil hits five-month high as global stocks wobble on AI fears; retail sales in Great Britain fall as shoppers cut back - business live
Posted on Friday October 23, 2026

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news

While less red tape will be welcome news for small businesses, the chancellor is still facing pressure from bigger companies in the UK for more support.

Earlier this month some of the UK’s biggest retailers and hospitality businesses, including Tesco, Costa Coffee and the Co-op, met John Healey to urge him to cut the cost of employing young people in his first budget.

It’s not right that pointless bureaucracy gets in the way of people working hard to build something that matters to their high street.

So we’re getting government off their backs and giving businesses the breathing space to grow. Because when businesses succeed, they create good jobs, strengthen their communities and bring growth to every part of the country.”

British firms are fed up with form-filling and pointless paperwork that eats into valuable time and money when they simply want to get on with running their businesses.

That is why we are cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and giving businesses the breathing space they need to invest, innovate and create good jobs.”

The test now is delivery. Cutting unnecessary admin can free firms to invest, compete and grow – and business will want to see that ambition translated quickly into meaningful reductions in the burden they face.”

Read more...

Some of Europe’s highest energy costs expected in Britain this winter
Posted on Friday October 23, 2026

Official forecasts show country will meet energy demand by paying high prices to secure imports

Great Britain is expected to pay some of the highest energy costs in Europe this winter as its reliance on imports to ensure a steady supply is forecast to deepen.

Energy system operators have said the country will have enough gas and electricity to meet demand over the coldest months – in part because of paying higher market prices than neighbouring markets to secure imports.

Read more...

UK consumer confidence falls at fastest rate since Brexit vote as cost of living bites
Posted on Friday October 23, 2026

Economic fallout from war in Middle East adds to pressures on consumers and on chancellor before budget

Consumer confidence in the UK has fallen at the fastest rate outside the Covid pandemic since the 2016 Brexit vote as the escalating economic damage from the war in the Middle East hits Britain.

With less than a week before John Healey’s first budget, the latest barometer from the data company GfK indicated confidence plunged by 11 percentage points in October to -24 amid pressure on consumers from the rising cost of living.

Read more...

UK to relax post-2008 rules that hold City bosses accountable for wrongdoing
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

Regulators say removing ‘unnecessary burdens’ will save businesses about £2bn over 10 years

The UK is watering down rules introduced in the aftermath of the financial crisis that were designed to hold City bosses accountable for wrongdoing.

The plans, put forward by the financial industry’s two top regulators, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), include a reduction in reporting for “lower-level misconduct” and would also free 140,000 managers from extra checks.

Read more...

AI firms say UK has a year to head off datacentre protests before construction is threatened
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

Exclusive: Nvidia, Microsoft and Cisco taskforce urges ministers to offer areas greater benefits from tech infrastructure amid fears of US-style opposition

AI companies have told ministers they have 12 months to head off public opposition to datacentres in the UK or risk US-style protests that could threaten their construction.

Successive dry summers and rising energy bills are increasing public scrutiny of plans for the huge computer warehouses that are used to train and run AI models, says a submission to the Labour government from a group including the AI infrastructure companies Nvidia, Microsoft and Cisco.

Read more...

Burnham to reveal plans for AI unit to tackle wildfires after scorching summer
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

PM will also announce funding for specialised protective gear and the deployment of military aircraft

The UK government is to create an AI Cobra unit to spot wildfires after this year’s record-breaking summer saw devastating blazes across the country.

The country experienced its hottest-ever summer this year, with prolonged dry periods and extreme heat fuelling wildfires that triggered an emergency alert to mobile phones in England and Wales. Figures released on 8 October showed a clear upward trend in the number of fires recorded each year.

Read more...

Manchester United latest, European reaction and more: football news – live
Posted on Friday October 23, 2026

⚽ All the latest news going into the weekend’s action
⚽ Premier League: weekend guide | Mail Tom

In courage of their convictions news, the Asian Football Confederation has decided to endorse Gianni Infantino’s Fifa presidential re-election bid.

The AFC president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa, speaking at the body’s extraordinary congress in Tokyo on Friday, embraced Infantino with a large hug in front of the membership as he delivered his endorsement.

Read more...

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

Max Dowman may get a chance, Spurs need to find balance at Stamford Bridge and Axel Disasi must make amends

• Premier League top scorers

After seven games, Nottingham Forest’s record is eerily similar to last season: five points, five goals scored. A year ago Forest’s eighth game was a 3-0 home loss to Chelsea that marked the end for Ange Postecoglou, the second of four managers to occupy the dugout last term. There is no suggestion that Oliver Glasner is under similar scrutiny yet, but the Austrian needs to find solutions for the league’s lowest scorers. Morgan Gibbs-White is available after missing the narrow defeat by Arsenal, while Liam Delap may benefit from a return to familiar surroundings – 12 of his 14 career Premier League goals were scored for Ipswich, six of them at Portman Road. “What we need to improve is getting [Delap] into more positions where he can score,” Glasner said before Friday evening’s game. “He’s one of our best finishers.” Gary O’Neil also lacks a standout scorer, but he is squeezing goals out of his side. Eight different Ipswich players have scored in seven games; only Brighton and Brentford can better that total this season. Niall McVeigh

Ipswich v Nottingham Forest, Friday 8pm BST

Aston Villa v Manchester City, Saturday 12.30pm BST

Arsenal v Everton, Saturday 3pm BST

Coventry v Fulham, Saturday 3pm BST

Read more...