Business

The number of job vacancies has topped 1 million for the first time ever as the economy recovers from the pandemic, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Figures published by the ONS also showed the number of employees on payrolls rose by 182,000 last month – though was still 201,000 below pre-crisis levels. Meanwhile

Military technology supplier Ultra Electronics faces a potential disposal of part of the business after agreeing to a £2.57bn takeover by US-owned defence group Cobham – a deal being closely scrutinised by the government. Cobham said it would seek to agree legally-binding commitments with the government to safeguard UK national security and jobs as part

Ticket re-sale sites such as viagogo and Stubhub should face a tough new licensing regime which could see companies that break the rules shut down, the UK competition watchdog has said. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had taken strong action in recent years to protect customers but there was a limit to

The way “green” electricity tariffs are sold to millions of households is to be reviewed by the government amid concerns that their environmental benefits could be overstated. Energy companies are able to market deals in this way even if some of the energy they supply comes from fossil fuels – because they offset this by

Asda and National Express are among a number of firms set to offer rewards to young people getting a COVID jab. Free Now taxis, lastminute.com and Better leisure centres will also offer incentives for those booking in for a vaccine. Uber, Bolt and Deliveroo have already said they will offer discounted rides and meals for

India is set to spend 100trn rupees (£972bn) on a national infrastructure plan to boost economic growth and help the country meet its climate goals. Speaking as part of Independence Day celebrations in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the programme will “create job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of young people”. “It will help

Some of the world’s biggest oil companies are currently paying negative tax on their fossil fuel extraction and production operations in the North Sea. Official data published by the UK government-backed Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative shows that in the tax year 2019-20, ExxonMobil received £117m in total from HMRC, Shell got £110m, and BP received

Gatwick Airport has accused the government of failing to take advantage of the UK’s “world-leading” coronavirus vaccination programme while revealing “very low” passenger numbers. The UK’s second-largest airport said it handled just 569,000 people during the first six months of 2021 and made a loss of almost £245m over the period despite operating costs being

The UK economy grew by 4.8% in the second quarter of the year, according to official figures charting the fightback from the last lockdowns imposed on households and businesses to tackle the coronavirus crisis. The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) had been expected to show a hit in the final month as

The John Lewis Partnership says it is to create 500 new jobs as it takes control of a massive distribution centre to meet an expansion in online sales. The owner of the John Lewis department store chain and Waitrose supermarkets said it had signed an agreement with Tesco to lease a one million sq ft

The battle for British pharmaceutical firm Vectura will not go to auction, after one of the two hopefuls said at the last minute that it would not increase its bid. US private equity firm Carlyle had made the first move for the Wiltshire-based FTSE 250-listed firm, which makes inhaled medicines and devices to treat respiratory

A top figure in the haulage industry has told Sky News that deploying army personnel to help tackle the HGV driver shortage “will not scratch the surface” of the UK’s delivery crisis. A Government spokesperson said: “The recent pandemic has proven that the UK has a large, diverse and highly resilient food supply chain that

A shortage of new models has helped drive a near-record leap in sales of used cars, according to industry figures. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported that 2,167,504 vehicles changed hands during the second quarter of the year – up 6.6% on 2019 pre-pandemic levels. The body said it was the best

One of Britain’s biggest convenience store groups is plotting a £30m cash call to accelerate the expansion of its partnership with Morrisons, the supermarket giant. Sky News has learnt that McColl’s Retail Group has approached institutional investors about a placing to raise almost as much as its existing £40m market capitalisation. McColl’s could be forced

Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways is plotting a surprise flotation on the London Stock Exchange as it pins its hopes on a rapid rebound in transatlantic travel. Sky News has learnt that Virgin Atlantic has been holding talks with institutional investors about making its public market debut just five months after landing a fresh

Jobs growth in the US exceeded expectations last month while unemployment fell in a further sign the economy continues to bounce back from the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic. So-called nonfarm payrolls increased by 943,000 in July, official employment figures showed, which was above the 860,000 forecasted by economists. Hotels and restaurants reopening for business

Football Manager players will no longer be able to manage ‘Manchester United’, following a settlement between the club and the games developer Sports Interactive. Instead, from FM22 onwards, the Manchester United football club will be renamed “Manchester UFC” or “Man UFC”, the games maker announced on Friday. Fans of the game and the club have

A takeover bid for the supermarket chain Morrisons by a private equity-backed consortium has been increased to £6.7bn following speculation of a rival offer. The group led by Fortress Investment Group has increased its previous financial pitch for the Bradford-based grocer, which had been agreed by management, by £400m. It said it upped the offer

The creators of the long-running and often controversial cartoon South Park have penned a new deal to bring 14 more movies to screens. Matt Stone and Trey Parker have also seen their show renewed through to a 30th season in a deal thought to be worth about $900 million (£650 million). The pair will make

Around 15 million families will see their energy bills soar by up to £139 after the regulator hiked the price cap by the biggest increase yet. The sharp rise, which will impact half the population, is driven by a rise of more than 50% in wholesale fuel costs over the last six months with gas