Business & Economy

Published: 12 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. UK business confidence dropped sharply at the end of 2025 as hiring slowed significantly across multiple sectors. The focus keyword UK business confidence appears early in this report, reflecting surveys that reveal companies are increasingly cautious due to rising operational costs and economic uncertainty. Accountancy and recruitment studies indicate that firms paused hiring, reducing both full-time and temporary...

Published: 12 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The focus on UK helicopter contracts has intensified as industry sources warn about 3,000 jobs at risk if the Ministry of Defence does not finalise a new order soon. Leonardo Helicopters, owner of the historic Westland factory in Yeovil, Somerset, is facing a potential closure by the end of March if the UK military fails to commit to...

Published: 10 January 2025The English Chronicle DeskThe English Chronicle Online Austrian Airlines has temporarily suspended all scheduled flights between Vienna and Tehran, citing worsening security concerns linked to Iran’s escalating political unrest. The decision reflects growing unease among international carriers as instability in the region raises serious questions about passenger safety, operational reliability, and crew security. The suspension, announced late on Saturday through an official airline statement, took effect immediately...

Published: 10 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Wessex Water pay has again come under scrutiny after executives were revealed to have received undisclosed additional funds. In 2025, Wessex Water bosses were awarded £50,000 in extra pay from a parent company, despite the Labour government banning bonuses to utility executives. Chief executive Ruth Jefferson and chief financial officer Andy Pymer received £24,000 and £27,000 respectively, in...

Published: 09 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Rachel Reeves has moved decisively to contain unrest within Labour by signalling a reversal on pub business rates, a decision that has eased immediate pressure on the chancellor while reopening debate about economic judgment and policy timing. The promise of change follows sustained criticism from Labour MPs, industry leaders, and local publicans who warned that sharp increases in...

Published: 06 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. UK taxpayers are losing tens of millions every year due to “phoenixism” at recruitment firms, HMRC data suggests. Phoenixism, the practice of liquidating insolvent companies and restarting them under new ownership while leaving debts unpaid, has repeatedly cost the exchequer enormous sums. Since the autumn, new cases have emerged where recruitment businesses were bought out of pre-pack administrations,...

Published: 06 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Keir Starmer has set the stage for fierce parliamentary battles over his UK-EU “reset” plan, aiming to reshape trade and regulatory relations with Brussels. The reset policy will be introduced through legislation designed to align agrifoods and electricity trading arrangements while granting ministers broader powers to adjust standards across sectors. This reset strategy has been framed as a...

Published: 06 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. UK car sales crossed a symbolic threshold in 2025, offering cautious optimism to an industry reshaped by disruption. After several difficult years, UK car sales exceeded two million vehicles, marking the strongest annual performance since before the pandemic. The rebound was driven largely by rapid growth from Chinese manufacturers, whose expanding presence transformed consumer choice and intensified competition...

Published: 05 January 2025The English Chronicle DeskThe English Chronicle Online The number of properties being flipped across England and Wales has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade, underlining how rising stamp duty and construction costs are making it increasingly difficult for investors to turn a quick profit from the housing market. New data from estate agent Hamptons shows that just 2.3 per cent of homes sold...

Published: 05 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK’s economy faces increasing pressure in 2026 as the collapse of zombie firms is expected to push unemployment higher. Zombie firms, defined as companies barely covering their costs while staying operational, are struggling under rising energy prices, interest rates, and a higher minimum wage, according to new analysis from the Resolution Foundation. Economists warn that this pattern...