Burberry promises staff across the world 18 weeks parental leave
Luxury fashion brand Burberry has guaranteed all employees around the world at least 18 weeks of leave when they have a baby or adopt a child.
UK and abroad
Markets fall as Trump threatens China tariff hike
The FTSE 100 led European stock markets lower as international trading was subdued by comments from US president Donald Trump on the state of negotiations with China.
Costa Coffee appoints former M&S clothing boss Jill McDonald as new chief
Costa Coffee has appointed former Marks & Spencer clothing boss Jill McDonald as its new chief executive.
TripAdvisor suspends reviews of Pizza Express restaurant cited by Prince Andrew
TripAdvisor has suspended reviews for the Pizza Express in Woking Prince Andrew discussed during his interview about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Janus Henderson fined £1.9m for unfair treatment of nearly 5,000 investors
Investment firm Janus Henderson has been slapped with a £1.9 million fine by the City watchdog after misleading and overcharging more than 4,700 investors over almost five years.
Barclays and BT distance themselves from Duke of York
Barclays and BT have become the latest high-profile firms to distance themselves from the Duke of York, as pressure mounts over the royal role of the Queen’s second son.
Poundland rolls out nationwide move to ‘simple’ rather than single pricing
Budget retailer Poundland has ended its across-the-board £1 price pledge with the introduction of products ranging from 50p to £5 in every UK store.
BT calls for Duke of York to be dropped as patron of digital skills award scheme
Telecoms giant BT has warned it will only continue to back a digital skills award scheme if the Duke of York is dropped as patron, as pressure mounts over the royal role of the Queen’s second son.
Ofgem rips up licences linked to energy supplier farms
Ofgem has ripped up 26 gas and electricity licences linked to just five men, as the regulator faces calls to clamp down on pre-packaged energy suppliers after a string of failures in the sector.
Cloud push rains on Sage
A focus on reshaping Software company Sage’s cloud services ate into profits in the year ending September.
Babcock insists turnaround strategy working despite profits drop
Defence giant Babcock International has seen half-year profits drop by nearly a fifth, but put faith in its turnaround strategy as it secured a raft of new projects.
Upper Crust owner SSP launches £100m share buyback as sales jump higher
Upper Crust owner SSP saw shares slip after it announced plans to buy back up to £100 million of shares while sales continued to grow.
United Utilities airs nationalisation fears as sector prepares for election
United Utilities has warned that the prospect of being nationalised is a “key area of uncertainty” as the company prepares for the General Election next month.
Aviva overhauls business and reveals sale of Hong Kong arm
Insurance giant Aviva has revealed a structural shake-up and plans to sell off its Hong Kong business.
Fever-Tree UK sales lose fizz on weak consumer spending
Fever-Tree has warned that full-year sales are set to miss annual forecasts after a weak performance in the UK.
All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers cheers rising profits
Pub giant Mitchells & Butlers has hailed a “strong” year after investment across its sites helped to boost sales despite “challenging” conditions in the sector.
B&Q owner Kingfisher sees sales slide in ‘disappointing’ third quarter
B&Q owner Kingfisher has seen shares come under pressure after its new boss revealed “disappointing” recent trading with another slide in sales at the DIY group.
Aston Martin unveils first SUV
Aston Martin has unveiled its first sports utility vehicle (SUV) in its 106-year history.
Payment card reader made from recycled ocean plastics launched
A card reader for small businesses made from recycled ocean plastic has been unveiled by financial technology firm iZettle.
Manufacturers could enjoy £13bn boom from going direct to consumers, report finds
British manufacturers are set to gain £13 billion over the next five years by shifting their focus from selling to wholesalers and retailers, and going direct to consumers, a new report by Barclays Bank has found.
Ads for three prenatal genetic test firms banned for using misleading statistics
Ads for three prenatal testing services for genetic conditions including Down’s syndrome have been banned for using misleading statistics about their accuracy.
Amazon and eBay accused of failing to stop listings of unsafe toys
Amazon and eBay are failing to take “basic steps” to stop the listing of toys that appear to have been declared unsafe by the EU safety alert system, according to watchdog Which?
Shoppers forecast to set Black Friday spending record despite political uncertainty
UK consumers are predicted to spend a record amount on Black Friday despite intensifying political uncertainty, figures suggest.
Dyson advert banned over ‘misleading’ hose length claim
An advert for a Dyson vacuum cleaner has been banned over its “misleading” claim the length of the hose between the machine and the nozzle could reach 13.8 metres.
Trade tensions weigh on European markets
International trade worries put a damper on the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday, as reports emerged that Beijing is not expecting to reach a trade deal with the US.
Salad bar Tossed becomes latest high street chain to ask for cut in rents
The owner of salad bar businesses Tossed and Vital Ingredient has become the latest high street chain to launch a painful restructuring programme after submitting plans for a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).
McDonnell: Companies could be delisted for failing to tackle climate change
Labour has set out plans for companies that fail to tackle climate change to be delisted from the London Stock Exchange.
Huawei calls for end to ‘unjust treatment’ by US government
Huawei has urged the US government to end its “unjust treatment” of the Chinese tech giant after it was granted an extension to a temporary trade licence in the country.
Manufacturing orders improve after Brexit delay, report shows
Britain’s manufacturers have been offered some respite as battered order books improved in November after a no-deal Brexit was avoided last month, according to a survey.
Unions slam Tata Steel after ‘shocking’ job cuts announcement
Unions are seeking urgent assurances about the future of steel plants in the UK after Tata Steel announced plans to axe thousands of jobs.
HomeServe goes stateside with £108m takeover
British emergency repairs business HomeServe has exported its Home Experts business across the pond for the first time with a 140 million dollar (£108 million) swoop on US business eLocal Holdings.
Boeing clinches another order for its grounded 737 Max jet
Boeing’s embattled 737 Max jet has got another boost at the Dubai Airshow.