Retail sales fell for only the second time this year as wet weather led to a surprise 1.2% drop, official figures show. It’s a steep fall from growth of 0.6% in June, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). A contraction of 0.5% had been forecast. Growth in how much people were
Month: August 2023
Chinese authorities have unveiled fresh measures aimed at propping up investor confidence in the country’s stock market. The main securities regulator, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, said it would introduce a number of measures aimed making it easier to trade. These include cuts in the cost of trading, via a reduction in the handling fees
There are “genuine grounds for hope” for the future of high street retailer Wilko, according to the GMB union, after the company entered administration, endangering 12,500 jobs. The union met with administrators PwC as part of the formal consultation process and confirmed there had been “expressions of interest” from prospective buyers. Those potential purchasers are
The CBI, the embattled business lobbying group, is to close a swathe of its overseas offices as part of a cost-cutting drive aimed at ensuring its survival. Sky News has learnt the CBI has informed staff it is to axe its operations in Beijing, Delhi and Washington DC in the coming months. The move will
The energy price cap is set to fall again resulting in cheaper electricity and gas bills, according to a closely-watched forecast. Energy bills in the final three months of 2023 are projected to drop before increasing in 2024, according to research firm Cornwall Insight, as they expect strikes at Australian gas facilities will bring up
Astronomers have uncovered a star that appears on course to become one of the strongest magnets in the universe. HD 45166 is 3,000 light years away and was spotted with multiple telescopes dotted all over the Earth, not that it’s particularly inconspicuous. Rich in helium, this interstellar behemoth is a few times bigger than our
“In Sarina we trust” is a phrase rapidly growing in popularity around England’s Lionesses. The catchy mantra, often used by football fans on social media, even made it into one pundit’s post-match analysis in the aftermath of Wednesday’s historic semi-final win against hosts Australia. On Sunday, England fans will have to place their trust in
Mohammed bin Salman has been an outcast on the world stage for half a decade but is now being rehabilitated by Western leaders – Rishi Sunak the latest among them. Sources have told Sky News the crown prince has been invited to visit the UK and that the meeting will take place in the autumn.
At least 72 people have died in India’s Himalayan region after days of torrential rain triggered landslides and flash floods. Video from the area shows buildings collapsing during a massive landslide in Shimla, a city in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Rescuers in the mountainous state – in the foothills of the Himalayas
Thousands of people have been evacuated in Tenerife as firefighters and the army struggle to contain an “out of control” wildfire. Nearly 4,500 people were ordered to leave villages and camp sites after the fire started on Wednesday, with thousands more told to stay inside. The blaze has already burned at least 6,425 acres of
New Zealand farmers have been given more time before they must pay a levy on the methane excreted by their livestock, as a general election looms. The Labour government, lagging in the polls, on Friday pushed back the start date of its climate plan to price the greenhouse gases that come from agriculture. The scheme
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been widely criticised for saying women footballers must “pick the right battles” in the fight for equal pay in the World Cup. The man who holds the most powerful position in world football said women “have the power to convince us men what we have to do” – appearing to
Activists in Mallorca have put up fake signs warning of jellyfish and falling rocks to try and keep English-speaking tourists away from popular beaches. While the signs warn holidaymakers to stay away – messages in Catalan underneath make clear there is no danger. One sign has the words “Beach Closed” in English, with a no
Russia has accused Ukraine of targeting Moscow in a drone attack after one smashed into a building causing a “powerful explosion”. It hit the Expo Center complex in central Moscow, which hosts conventions and conferences, in the early hours of Friday. Image: The damaged Expo Center complex in central Moscow Russia’s defence ministry and city
Rock legend Bruce Springsteen has cancelled two upcoming concerts after being “taken ill”. A statement on his Instagram account said two concerts with the E Street Band in Philadelphia last night and tomorrow have been “postponed”. The nature of his illness was not disclosed. The 73-year-old was due to play with his American rock band
Bradley Cooper’s use of a prosthetic nose to play Jewish conductor Leonard Bernstein in a new movie is the equivalent of black-face or yellow-face, a Jewish actress has claimed. But Bernstein’s children said their father, who wrote the music for West Side Story, had a “nice, big nose”, and they feared attempts were being made