Business & Economy

Published: 16 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk The latest snapshot of the UK labour market presents a familiar, yet increasingly concerning picture: wage growth remains strong, yet Britons continue to feel the strain of rising living costs amid slowing hiring and a modest uptick in unemployment. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that in the three months to July, regular pay, excluding bonuses, grew by 4.8%...

Published: 16 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk The UK’s labour market is showing clear signs of cooling, according to the latest official figures, with wage growth slowing and redundancies beginning to rise amid broader economic pressures. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that annual growth in regular earnings, excluding bonuses, eased to 4.8% in the three months to July, down from 5% in the preceding quarter,...

Published: 16 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Britain’s largest carmaker, has announced an extension of its production shutdown as it continues to respond to a cyber-attack that has disrupted operations across its global facilities. The company confirmed on Tuesday that production will remain suspended until at least Wednesday, 24 September, while forensic investigations into the breach are ongoing and a phased restart of operations is...

Published: 16 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk As former US President Donald Trump begins his official state visit to the United Kingdom, the agenda is set to highlight both diplomatic and economic ties, with a particular focus on technology and investment. Central to the visit is Google’s announcement that it will invest £5 billion in the UK over the next two years to expand artificial intelligence capabilities and meet...

Published: 16 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk Google has announced plans to invest £5 billion in the United Kingdom over the next two years, in a move expected to strengthen the country’s artificial intelligence sector and create thousands of jobs. The announcement coincides with the opening of the company’s new datacentre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, and comes as US President Donald Trump begins his official state visit to the...

Published: 16 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk As former US President Donald Trump embarks on his official two-day state visit to the United Kingdom, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is set to host a high-profile meeting with senior executives from leading financial firms in Downing Street on Tuesday morning. The roundtable, co-hosted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, will bring together prominent figures from BlackRock, Barclays, and Blackstone...

Published: 16 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk The UK has the potential to raise close to £2 billion annually by introducing a tax on sport utility vehicles (SUVs) aligned with rates in other European countries, according to a recent study by the Transport & Environment (T&E) thinktank. The organisation has urged the government to use the upcoming autumn budget to implement a levy targeting the largest and heaviest vehicles,...

Published: 16 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk The United Kingdom’s life sciences sector is facing a serious setback as major pharmaceutical companies have paused or abandoned nearly £2 billion in planned investments this year, raising concerns about the potential impact on patients and the broader health ecosystem. The investment freeze comes at a critical moment as the government prepares for high-level discussions with US President Donald Trump amid a...

Published: 15 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk The UK chief executive of Aldi has cautioned that shoppers may see further increases in food prices if the government introduces policies that raise costs for businesses. Giles Hurley, who leads Aldi in the UK and Ireland, made the remarks following the release of the supermarket chain’s annual results, which showed a modest rise in sales to £18.1 billion, but a decline...

Published: 15 September '2025. The English Chronicle Desk Keir Starmer has been urged to make a clear “populist case” for workers’ rights reforms after a major poll revealed that while the proposed changes enjoy widespread public support, awareness of them remains extremely limited. The employment rights bill is set to return to the House of Commons on Monday, with senior government figures pledging not to dilute key measures, including protections...