News

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has expressed concern over the rising number of young Britons not in employment, education, or training (NEET), labelling it a "stain on our country." Official figures show a surge in NEET numbers, with nearly one million 18-24-year-olds currently "sitting at home doing nothing.

The UK service sector has experienced job losses for the fifth consecutive month, marking the longest period of job shedding since early 2011 outside of the pandemic period. This is attributed to concerns over a "loss of growth momentum" since the autumn budget, with many firms citing the Chancellor's announcement of a £25 billion increase in employers' National Insurance contributions as a reason for belt-tightening.

European stock markets tumbled on Friday, snapping a ten-week winning streak, as conflicting signals from President Trump on tariffs and trade policies fueled investor uncertainty. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index shed 1%, while Wall Street's Nasdaq Composite plunged 2.6%, entering correction territory.

China's trade figures have taken a worrying turn, with imports tumbling 8.4% over the first two months of the year, undershooting economists' expectations and raising concerns about the impact of President Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods. While exports grew by 2.3%, they still fell short of the 5% forecast, highlighting the confluence of factors affecting China's trade performance.

Sara Davies, the youngest-ever female investor on Dragons' Den, is stepping back from the show to focus on her own company, Crafter's Companion. Despite her departure, Davies will still appear in the second half of the current Dragons' Den series and will continue to host the ITV show, Time Is Money.