Latest Business News

Zopa, one of Britain's biggest digital financial services providers, is in talks with investors about a £100m capital injection that will put it on course to become the country's latest fintech 'unicorn'.Sky News has learnt that Zopa has hired JP Morgan, the Wall Street investment bank, to advise on what is expected to be its last funding round before it launches a public flotation, probably in about 18 months' time. […]

The UK's former cyber security chief has raised the alarm over the sale of a Welsh microchip manufacturer to a Chinese-backed company.Ciaran Martin, the former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said the purchase of Newport Wafer Fab by Nexperia, a Dutch subsidiary of the Chinese company Wingtech, poses a greater threat to British interests than Huawei's involvement in the 5G network. Boris Johnson has asked national […]

Taxpayers will spend decades exposed to financial risks from the government's coronavirus spending, according to a committee of MPs.Parliament's public accounts committee (PAC) has produced two reports related to the crisis, the first of which warns that Britain will be exposed to "significant financial risks for decades to come". The cost of government measures has already reached £372bn, they said. PAC chair Dame Meg Hillier said: "With eye-watering sums of […]

The newly listed owner of Burger King’s UK operations has begun drawing up plans for a sale of the business next year in a bet on an accelerated recovery of Britain’s pandemic-hit restaurant industry.Sky News has learnt that Bridgepoint Group is holding preliminary talks with investment banks about an auction of one of the country's best-known fast-food chains. The discussions are unlikely to result in a formal sale process for […]

Unilever's ex-boss has said business leaders have an "obligation to speak up" after his former company became embroiled in a row with Israel over its Ben & Jerry's business.Paul Polman mounted a defence of the need to "fight for what is right" in remarks to Sky News after the ice cream brand said it would stop selling its products in the occupied Palestinian territories. Ben & Jerry's is owned by […]

The government has released more details about which fully-vaccinated workers may be exempt from isolation if they are told to quarantine after coming into contact with a positive COVID case.On Thursday evening, the government published a list of 16 sectors which the new guidance of completing daily coronavirus tests rather than quarantining would apply to. These included energy, civil nuclear, digital infrastructure, food production and supply, waste, water, veterinary medicines, […]

The owner of LloydsPharmacy, one of Britain's biggest chains of chemists, is to decide within days on its future ownership after receiving takeover bids for the business.Sky News understands that McKesson Corporation, which is listed in New York, is mulling the status of three offers which have been tabled for its British operations. City sources said a decision about a preferred bidder could be made as early as next week. […]

Train services across England are being cut as a result of rail staff being forced to self-isolate.Reduced timetables are being introduced by operators in a bid to improve reliability after a series of last-minute cancellations. More than 600,000 people in England and Wales were told to quarantine by the NHS coronavirus app in the week to 14 July.Latest coronavirus updates from the UK and around the world The Department for […]

KKR, one of the world's biggest private equity investors, is joining a scrum of suitors to buy a stake in the commercial rights to rugby union's World Cup.Sky News has learnt that KKR, which has owned prominent British businesses such as Boots The Chemist, has held preliminary talks with World Rugby - the sport's global governing body - about a potential investment. The discussions are at an early stage, and […]

On today's episode, Ian King speaks to the chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association about new self-isolation rules.We also hear from an industry expert about how many people are really returning to the office. Plus Ian speaks to the Competition and Markets Authority about the roll out of infrastructure for electric vehicles.:: Listen and subscribe to The Ian King Business Podcast here. Advertisement  © Sky News 2021