Business

The UK’s benchmark stock index has reached another record high. The FTSE 100 index of most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange closed at 8,505.69, breaking the record set last May. It had already broken its intraday high earlier on Friday, meaning it reached a high not seen before during trading hours. The weakened
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There’s been a surprise fall in inflation to 2.5% after two months of rises, official figures show. It means prices are still rising but at a slower pace than before, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data for December. Economists had expected the figure to remain at 2.6%, the level recorded in November. Inflation
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Britain’s leading small business group has issued a clarion call to economic watchdogs to heed Sir Keir Starmer’s edict to tear up regulatory barriers to growth with a fresh list of demands for reform. Sky News has obtained a letter from the FSB to more than half a dozen regulators, including Ofgem and the Financial
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The health secretary has said that the cabinet is aware of the “pressure” on Chancellor Rachel Reeves amid volatile markets and a challenging broader economic picture – but appealed for the public to “give her time”. Wes Streeting argued that the public “underestimates” the “amount of heavy-lifting” Ms Reeves has had to do and will
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The UK’s power grid operator has urged electricity providers to bolster output this evening to avert the threat of blackouts amid plunging temperatures. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) issued an alert “to encourage market actions to increase system margins”. It is worried about a lack of spare capacity in the grid from 4pm until
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