Business

Unite has warned holidaymakers they face “severe disruption” at Gatwick Airport this month after ground staff announced a new series of strikes. More than 230 workers, who work for two contracted firms at the London site, will walk out on multiple dates later in August because of a dispute over pay, the union said. Unite

Six English water companies are facing legal action over allegations they under-reported pollution discharges and overcharged customers as a result. Professor Carolyn Roberts, an environmental and water consultant, said she is planning to bring a string of cases to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in a bid to secure more than £800m compensation on behalf of

A specialist investor in struggling retailers is exploring a bid to rescue Wilko, the ailing family-owned chain which is teetering on the brink of collapse. Sky News has learnt that Gordon Brothers, which has backed British high street names including Laura Ashley, is in talks with Wilko’s advisers about structuring a potential deal. Sources said

One of Britain’s biggest housebuilders is planning widespread redundancies and the closure of two regional divisions as it battles a slump in demand from new buyers. Bellway is consulting on the proposals, which would involve the closure of its London partnerships and South Midlands divisions. The move could see 90 employees from the company’s 3,000-strong

Consumers spent less in shops as wet weather dampened demand for typical seasonal goods in July, latest figures show. Total UK retail sales increased 1.5%, according to the retail sales monitor from retail representative British Retail Consortium (BRC) and big four accountancy firm KPMG. But at the same time official figures showed the rate of

Barbie might be synonymous with pink – but her film is now firmly in the green, with more than $1bn (£784m) in box office sales worldwide. The smash hit, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, reached the “Barbillion” on Sunday after pulling in a further $127m (£99m) in sales over the weekend. It

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has promised to investigate unlawful bank closures after the chancellor warned the practice could be “widespread”. Jeremy Hunt told the FCA that he wants to see banks “spell out to an affected customer why they are terminating their payment account”. In a letter to the regulator, he wrote this would

One of Britain’s biggest lenders to small businesses is hatching plans for a £3.5bn tie-up with the Co-operative Bank. Sky News has learnt that Shawbrook Group has approached the owners of the Co-operative Bank in recent weeks to outline plans for a stock-based combination of the two companies. Sources said this weekend that the preliminary

The construction industry has bucked recent trends and returned to growth in July, according to a closely watched survey. Just a month after UK housebuilding fell at the steepest rate in more than a decade – outside the pandemic years – commercial activity and civil engineering work grew, according to the S&P Global/CIPS construction purchasing

Tinder is testing a new tool that lets AI pick your best photos. The feature was detailed during an earnings call with investors by parent company Match, which also owns online dating platforms like OkCupid and Hinge. Chief executive Bernard Kim said it could “take out the stress” someone feels when picking pictures, and help

A final decision is in sight for Microsoft’s protracted bid to acquire the maker of Call Of Duty now that the UK’s competition regulator has closed its public consultation on the matter. The Competition and Markets Authority will consider comments from the public – which were submitted over the past week – and Microsoft’s amended

The Bank of England has increased the base interest rate from 5% to 5.25% in the 14th consecutive hike. It is the highest interest rate rise since March 2008. Rates have been consistently raised since December 2021 in an effort to make borrowing more expensive and dampen economic activity by taking money out of the

UK car sales have grown all year, despite borrowing becoming more expensive and a cost of living crisis creating difficult financial conditions for consumers. The number of new cars registered grew 28% in July, compared to a year earlier, in the seventh month of growth this year, according to data from the Society of Motor

The Bank of England is expected to increase its interest rate for the 14th time in a row today. Economists believe a 0.25 percentage point rise – to 5.25% – is the most likely increase to be announced at midday. However, the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) defied expectations last time when they hiked the

UK energy chiefs will gather in Downing Street today to discuss net zero as a debate rages in both main parties about the future of green policies. Industry leaders from EDF, SSE, Shell and BP will meet Grant Shapps, the energy security secretary, just days after the government announced it would grant more than 100

BP has recorded a big drop in profits in the first half of its financial year, as energy prices fell from the highs seen after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The oil and gas giant reported net profits of just over $2.5bn (£2bn) for the three months to the end of June. It’s half the $5bn

Food price inflation has slowed to its lowest level this year – as costs fall for staples such as oils, fats, fish, and breakfast cereals, research suggests. However the rate of 13.4% – in the year up to July – still remains high. But the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which compiled the figures with retail

The amount of money borrowed by consumers rose to a five-year high in June as inflation and interest rate pressure hit households, Bank of England figures show. Net consumer credit rose to the highest since April 2018 – £1.7bn was borrowed last month, following a £500m decrease in lending in May. The increase came as

Britain’s biggest mortgage lenders will this week launch a multimillion pound campaign aimed at illustrating the range of support they are providing to cash-strapped customers as the industry faces its most intense scrutiny in years. Sky News understands that a £5m advertising blitz paid for by participating banks will urge customers to ‘reach out’ if

One of the private equity backers of the AA breakdown recovery service has poached a veteran City banker to take a leadership role at its operations in Europe. Sky News has learnt that Warburg Pincus is lining up Andrew Sibbald, the chairman of Evercore Partners’ London-based business, to become the firm’s co-head of Europe. Mr