Business

Bitcoin’s rare halving event has taken place, according to crypto analysis firm CoinGecko. It slashes the number of new Bitcoin entering the market by cutting the rewards earned by Bitcoin miners by 50%. Taking place roughly every four years, it’s designed to cap supply at 21 million by 2140. It means just 450 Bitcoin will

The average cost of car insurance in the UK is now more than £900 according to one comparison website – that up 43% over the space of one year. Ian’s joined by Steve Dukes, Chief Executive of Confused.com to discuss what it means for premiums and payouts. Music investment company Hipgnosis has agreed to a

The price of everyday things - mainly food - is now rising at the lowest level since 2021.   Official data shows inflation eased last month to 3.2% – down from 3.4% – but the fall was slightly less than economists expected. On the Daily, Niall Paterson looks at what’s going on with inflation and what it might mean

Flights arriving into Dubai airport – the world’s busiest for international travel – are being temporarily diverted this evening to other locations as the city-state is hit by major flooding after heavy rainfall. More than 120mm (4.7 inches) of rain came down on Tuesday, which is the typical yearly average in the desert nation –

The FTSE-250 engineering services company John Wood Group is facing fresh calls to launch a strategic review almost a year after the collapse of a £1.7bn takeover bid. Sky News has learnt that Sparta Capital Management has written to Wood chairman Roy Franklin to urge him to explore a US listing or a sale of

Global oil prices dipped slightly this morning despite rising tensions in the Middle East. Ian King is joined by Henry Allen, macro strategist at Deutsche Bank to discuss what it means and the likely impact. International motor dealer Inchcape has sold its UK retail operations for £346m to the US motor dealer Group 1 Automotive.

Tesla is cutting 10% of its global workforce in a bid to reduce costs and bolster productivity, it has been reported. The electric vehicle maker, founded and run by Elon Musk, was yet to comment on a story earlier on Monday by Electrek that it was to axe about 15,000 personnel. The tech publication said

China ramped up coal power capacity last year, according to new analysis, despite a pledge to “strictly control” the dirtiest fossil fuel. The country added 47.4 Gigawatts (GW) of new coal power in 2023, more than double the amount added by the rest of the world combined. It raises concerns that gains in clean power,

A company which provides emerging talent from Britain’s food industry with a platform to sell its products has raised a further £3m to fuel its growth. Sky News understands that Sessions, which was founded by former Deliveroo executive Dan Warne, has secured the funding from Guinness Ventures, an existing investor. The fundraising will be announced

Microsoft is set to open a new artificial intelligence hub in London – and is looking for “exceptional individuals” to work there. The hub will work on Microsoft products that use artificial intelligence (AI) and also carry out research into the technology. It will be based at the US tech giant’s offices in Paddington. The

Administrators to The Body Shop are drawing up plans to launch a further restructuring process in a bid to salvage a future for one of Britain’s best-known high street brands. Sky News has learnt that insolvency practitioners at FRP Advisory have outlined proposals to launch a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) that would see The Body

Google is considering charging users for “premium” internet search results powered by artificial intelligence (AI), according to a report. The tech giant is said to be exploring several ideas about how to use the technology, including incorporating enhanced search tools as part of its premium subscription services. Google‘s main search engine would remain free to

The new chief executive of beleaguered Dutch football club Ajax is facing the sack for alleged insider trading. Officials said they intended to fire Alex Kroes after it emerged he bought more than 17,000 shares in the club just a week before his appointment to the role was announced last August. “The supervisory board sought

High margins for fuel retailers may mean drivers are still paying over the odds at the pump, according to the competition regulator. In a monitoring report, following its fuel market study of 2022, the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) said fuel margins – the difference between what retailers pay for their fuel and the price

Elon Musk has announced further changes to social media platform X that will see certain accounts get premium features for free. The tech billionaire, writing on the platform formerly known as Twitter, said all accounts with more than 2,500 verified subscriber followers would be able to access features that usually cost $8 (£6.30) a month.

Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund has completed a deal to take full ownership of McLaren Group, one of the most revered names in British manufacturing, after years of negotiations to put the company on a stable long-term footing. Sky News understands that McLaren will announce later on Friday that the recapitalisation of the supercar manufacturer and

Ian is joined by Rebecca Klar, technology and policy reporter at The Hill, to talk about the US government suing Apple for allegedly maintaining an illegal monopoly on smartphones. Also, hear the latest as the Bank of England votes to keep interest rates unchanged for another month at 5.25%. Meanwhile, thousands of women may be

The United States Justice Department has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of engineering an illegal monopoly in smartphones that boxes out competitors. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey, alleges that Apple has monopoly power and uses its control over the iPhone to “engage in a broad, sustained,

Shares in Reddit will make their market debut later on Thursday after a sale valuing the social media platform at $6.4bn (£5bn). The company’s initial public offering (IPO) was priced at the top of its targeted range of $31 to $34 per share on Wednesday night, raising $748m. Reddit and its existing shareholders sold 22

Wood Group, the London-listed oil sector engineer, is cutting hundreds of jobs nearly a year after talks about a takeover collapsed. Sky News understands that the company is expected to announce next week alongside its full-year results that it has launched a new cost efficiency programme that sources said would affect white-collar workers globally. One