Business & Economy

Published: 13 November 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand, Skims, has reached a valuation of $5 billion (£2.93 billion) following a $225 million funding round. Investors include a unit of Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs, and the company plans to use the capital to open additional stores and expand internationally. Kardashian described the milestone as an opportunity to “take Skims to...

Published: 12 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online IT companies that provide services for the NHS, as well as the UK’s energy, water and transport infrastructure, will face tough new security standards under a new law introduced by ministers to mitigate the threat of cyber attacks. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is set to be introduced on Wednesday in a move aimed at strengthening national...

Published: 12 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The UK toy industry is enjoying a remarkable year, buoyed by both children and adult collectors, as the annual DreamToys list highlights the season’s most sought-after items. From singing Wicked 2 dolls to manga-themed Lego, Pokémon games and quirky mini-fridge playsets, the list demonstrates that toys are no longer just for children. Increasingly, adults—dubbed “kidults”—are playing a major...

Published: 12 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online It was perhaps inevitable. After years of free meals, glowing posts, and endless ring lights, restaurants are finally beginning to rebel against the very machine they helped create. Like Frankenstein’s monster, the influencer economy was assembled piece by piece by the hospitality industry itself — nurtured, fed, and celebrated — until it grew too large, too entitled, and...

Published: 12 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online British housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has reported a decline in sales during the critical autumn period, attributing the slowdown to market uncertainty ahead of this month’s UK budget. Potential buyers appear to be holding off on purchases, a trend echoed across the housing sector. The company revealed that its weekly average of private sales per site fell 11% to...

Published: 12 November 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online UK toy sales have risen for the first time since the pandemic, driven by a surge of adult collectors, or “kidults,” purchasing brands such as Lego and Pokémon. According to research firm Circana, the value of toy sales increased by 6% in the year to September compared with the same period last year, signalling renewed confidence...

Published: 12 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A coalition of wealthy Britons has urged the UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to introduce a new wealth tax and reform existing capital gains tax rules, arguing that such measures could help “lift kids out of poverty” and rebuild public services across the country. The campaign group, known as Patriotic Millionaires, claims the proposed tax changes could generate as...

Published: 10 November 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online The global drinks powerhouse Diageo, best known for Guinness and Johnnie Walker, has appointed former Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis to lead the company through one of the most challenging periods in its recent history. Lewis, credited with steering Tesco out of a deep financial crisis a decade ago, will officially assume the role of Diageo’s...

Published: 10 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. As the UK gears up for one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, consumers are expected to spend nearly £14 billion over the Black Friday weekend, despite increasing caution over poor deals and online scams. Retailers across the country are preparing for a surge in demand, while consumer watchdogs are urging shoppers to exercise vigilance. A...

Published: 10 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. A major shift in British retail ownership is underway as Washington-based private equity giant Carlyle Group prepares to take control of the online retailer The Very Group, ending more than two decades of Barclay family ownership. The announcement is expected as early as Monday, marking another significant exit from the Barclay family’s business empire. The Barclays, led by...