Economic Climate

Seventy years after a converted oil tanker carried the first standardised steel boxes from New Jersey to Texas, the shipping container remains the basic unit that global trade is built on.

New quarterly data from V12 Retail Finance shows that UK consumers continued to turn to point-of-sale finance for high-value purchases in the third quarter of 2026.

Small and medium-sized businesses face fresh uncertainty over how future business rates changes could affect their plans for growth, investment and recruitment.

Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups, launches its first major brand campaign.

With university fees of £9,790 per year in the UK and average monthly living costs whilst studying hitting £1,142 per month, Lamont Pridmore is calling on parents of future students to plan for these costs in advance.

More than six in ten millionaire investors have considered leaving the UK because of concerns over taxation, new research from Wealth Club, the UK's leading non-advised investment service for high-net-worth individuals, shows.

The biggest shift in the property market is a growing number of people who could buy, deciding not to. For a hundred years, the property industry has run on one assumption: renting is a waiting room, ownership is the destination.

Parents are increasingly discussing problems paying fees with independent schools as they look for ways to keep children in private education, research from School Fee Plan, a leading provider of finance for school fees, shows.

More than half of UK professionals (53%) are planning to look for a new job before the end of the year, according to new research from global talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half.

A new study by Markel Direct, the small business insurance specialists, has revealed the growing expectations many UK tradespeople and small business owners feel to maintain an active social media presence alongside running their business.

More than two thirds of SME business leaders are grappling with finding time to step back and work on the business due to being stuck in the day-to-day, according to new research.

New research from garden building specialists Dunster House explored the booming backyard business economy, with surveying exclusively people who operate from their garden or home.

The ongoing war in Iran which is pushing up the cost of borrowing for UK SMEs (small and medium enterprises) may be the final nail in the coffin for some businesses, says a sector specialist.

Wealthy UK-based families are increasingly considering the Channel Islands as a “near-shore, offshore” option as they reassess where they live, work and structure their affairs following the abolition of non-dom status.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published its latest statistics on workplace pension participation and savings trends.

Edinburgh and Glasgow | Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups and one of the largest in Scotland, has called for a renewed focus on Scotland’s long-term economic competitiveness to attract investment, skilled professionals and entrepreneurs.

A three-year, business-led ‘road map’ has been launched to narrow skills gaps in the workplace, spotlight training opportunities including for NEETs and boost Hampshire’s regional economy.

UK houses lost value in real terms in 2025 and significantly underperformed equities, according to new research by Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups.

Multiple generations risk drifting towards a retirement that falls short of their expectations, Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups, has warned, following publication of new Retirement Living Standards (RLS) data.

Barclays’ Q1 2026 Business Prosperity Index reveals that the vast majority of UK businesses (85 per cent) remain confident in the strength of their business, despite 80 per cent reporting a negative impact from the Middle East conflict.