Business

Energy bills are to rise again next year, according to a respected forecaster. Costs from January to March are projected to rise another 1% to £1,736 a year for the average user, according to research firm Cornwall Insight. The energy price cap, which sets a limit on how much companies can charge per unit of

An AI software company which counts Britain’s largest gas distribution network among its clients will this week announce that it has secured $15m (£11.6m) in new backing from a syndicate of leading venture investors. Sky News understands that Cogna, which launched last year, has landed the funding from Notion Capital, with backing from Hoxton Ventures

Australia’s government has pledged to introduce what it described as “world-leading” legislation to ban children under the age of 16 from social media. “Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “I’ve spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like

Every Monday in our Money blog, we answer questions about your financial problems or consumer disputes. This week, a reader asked what rights they had after a bad haircut. Reader Tim asked: “I’ve just moved to Norwich for work and went to a new barber. The barber didn’t listen and cut way too much at

Donald Trump’s victory was secured on an unequivocal promise to stretched American households that he would “end inflation”, but markets and economists are anticipating his second term will do the opposite. A combination of corporate tax cuts, government borrowing, lower migration and swingeing tariffs on overseas imports are all expected to heat up the American

An influential Manchester United supporters’ group has demanded that the club’s owners revive plans for a fan share scheme, which remains on ice nearly three-and-a-half years after it was initially promised. Sky News has learnt that the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) wrote to Joel Glazer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Omar Berrada, the club’s new

One of the world’s largest investment firms has waded into the fight over the future of Thames Water, the water utility which is racing to stay afloat. Sky News has learnt that KKR is in talks with Thames Water and its advisers about participating in a £3bn share sale which forms part of a wider

The cost of government borrowing has jumped, while UK stocks and the pound are up, as markets digest the news of billions in borrowing and tax rises announced in the budget. While there was no panic, there had been concern about the scale of borrowing and changes to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s fiscal rules. At the

In the lead up to this week’s budget, the government has been criticised for strongly hinting at a number of policies coming down the pipeline. But that signalling of what today’s budget would mean for companies appears to have contained much of the market fallout, with steep tax rises coming as little surprise. That’s not

Money blog reader Jane T asks: “I want to put my house on the market. One of the previous owners was stabbed to death by a family member in the house. Do I need to tell prospective owners?” We asked Johnny Drysdale, residential property partner at Keystone Law, to answer this one… Johnny says transparency

The oil price has dropped steeply as tensions in the Middle East appeared to ease. For the first time since the very start of the month, the cost of a barrel of the benchmark oil Brent crude is below $72 at $71.93. The oil price stood at $76 on Friday evening, before Monday morning’s fall

Britain’s fourth-biggest household energy supplier has poached a senior executive from Monzo, the digital bank, as it explores options that could lead to a change of ownership. Sky News understands that OVO has recruited James Davies, who has worked for companies including William Hill and Purplebricks, the online estate agent, to become its new chief

A residential energy services provider backed by leading City investors has secured a £50m funding boost from one of the world’s biggest pension funds. Sky News understands that Hometree, which counts Legal & General (L&G) among its investors, will this week announce that it has agreed a mezzanine debt facility with a subsidiary of Canada

Ratan Tata, the former chair of India’s oldest conglomerate, and of Tata Steel and Jaguar Land Rover, has died aged 86. Tata Sons chair Natarajan Chandrasekaran confirmed Mr Tata had died and described him as his “friend, mentor, and guide” in a statement. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Mr Tata was “a visionary business

The price of oil has hit a six-week high amid fears over the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The market value of the benchmark Brent crude increased to almost $80 (£61) a barrel on Monday, following last week’s gains of 9.1%. Israel’s actions against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen

Israel is fighting on at least four fronts, threatening a war across the oil-rich Middle East, but there is no great sense of fear yet as far as financial markets are concerned. Israel’s actions against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and the ultimate sponsors of these groups, Iran, has proved

Elon Musk has lashed out at the UK after reports he had been snubbed by a government investment summit.  The tech billionaire hasn’t been invited to the summit next month after his posts on his X platform regarding the violent riots in the UK last month, according to a BBC report. In response, he made

One of the City’s most prominent fund management groups is heaping fresh pressure on the environmental record of Britain’s water industry by calling for suppliers to take steps to curtail the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Sky News understands that Royal London Asset Management (RLAM), which manages £169bn in assets, is calling on the UK’s

The gap between how much money the state takes in and its spending will triple in the next 50 years, according to independent forecasters. Public debt will rise due to an ageing and ill population as well as climate change, the fiscal watchdog the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has said. The ratio between debt

A bid for The Daily Telegraph spearheaded by the owner of The New York Sun has raised the extraordinary possibility of a return to the British newspaper group for Conrad Black, its former proprietor. Sky News can reveal that Lord Black – who is listed as a contributing editor to and founding director of the