Business

In 2007, Apple was credited with revolutionising the landscape for communications when it launched the first iPhone – a mobile phone that could play music and access the internet. The product laid the foundation for 17 years of smartphones and propelled Apple to become the world’s first company to reach a valuation of more than

The City regulator is reviewing whether people could be owed compensation for being charged too much for car loans, following a high number of complaints on historic agreements. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it was a reaction to rising tensions between consumers and lenders over so-called discretionary commission arrangements across the motor finance market

An autonomous robot designed to tackle potholes using AI is to venture out of a controlled environment and be tested on actual roads for the first time. The machine called ARRES (Autonomous Road Repair System) PREVENT can identify and characterise potholes and cracks using artificial intelligence. Image: Pic: Zenzic CAM UK Image: It can automatically

A sports marketing group which works with Formula One motor racing and the International Olympic Committee is in advanced talks to be sold to a British buyout firm for £250m. Sky News has learnt that Two Circles, which was founded by Gareth Balch, a former international athlete, could announce a deal to be acquired by

Apple has reportedly started making payments to US owners of certain iPhone models over claims handsets are slowed down. Complainants are due about $92 (£72) for each affected model owned as part of a maximum $500m (£394m) total payout. The sum only applies to owners in the US and covers the iPhone 6, 6 Plus,

The energy regulator has warned suppliers over their conduct as a temporary ban on the forced installation of prepayment meters ends. Ofgem said on Monday that it was allowing EDF, Octopus and Scottish Power to resume “involuntary” ‘Pay as you Go’ meter installations. That was because the three firms had met conditions to restart the

Ian King is joined by Mark Shepherd, from the Association of British Insurers, to discuss the impact of the widespread flooding disruption. Mike Hawes, from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, talks to Ian about car sales. And Randall Atkins, from Ramaco Resources, discusses a new discovery at a coal mine in Wyoming. ::

House prices have risen for the third month in a row, according to new figures from Halifax. The bank said the average cost of a UK home was £287,105 in December. The figure is up 1.1% from the month before and is also the highest level since March 2023. Halifax’s director of mortgages, Kim Kinnaird,

Mortgage approvals hit their highest level in six months near the end of last year, official data has revealed – as more lenders announce rate cuts. New figures from the Bank of England (BoE), published on Thursday, show that more than 50,000 loans for home purchases were rubber-stamped in November – the highest number since

Ian King talks to Patrick Farrell from Charles Stanley about business confidence. Rightmove’s property expert, Tim Bannister, discusses house prices. Paddy Power, from Paddy Power, and Matt Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK join Ian to discuss the real winner of last night’s World Darts Championship. :: Listen and subscribe to The Ian

Two of the world’s largest container ship operators have extended diversions from the Red Sea following an attack on a vessel at the weekend that has been blamed for a renewed oil price volatility. Maersk had suspended, on Sunday, sailings near or via the Suez Canal after one of its giant carriers, the Maersk Hangzou,

House prices are expected to remain static or fall again next year after a drop of 1.8% since the end of 2022, according to one of the UK’s largest mortgage lenders. Nationwide building society has said a rapid rebound in prices is “unlikely” in 2024 after the fall recorded from December 2022 to 2023. “It

A Tesla engineer was injured by a robot that pinned him to the wall at the company’s giant factory in Texas, according to reports. The 2021 incident came to light through an injury record filed to regulators. It noted the injury type as “laceration, cut, open wound” and recorded the “cause object” as a robot.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a 25% stake in Manchester United Football Club will be announced today, 13 months after the launch of a review initiated by the Glazer family. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Sport will take control of the football side of the club. This breaking news story is being updated and more details

The cost of train travel is set to rise by almost 5% next year, according to the government. In England, regulated rail fares will increase by up to 4.9% from 3 March 2024, the Department for Transport has said. The government says the new 4.9% cap is lower than the equivalent in Scotland, where prices

The Home Office has rowed back on plans to increase the salary threshold for family members of migrants in the UK following a backlash Home Secretary James Cleverly told the Commons earlier this month that the threshold for a family visa would rise from £18,600 to £38,700 by “next spring” in a bid to reduce

The website and phone app for Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) appear to have been restored after going down. Earlier, users were still able to open the service but were faced with a message reading “welcome to your timeline”, instead of the usual feed of posts. Spaces, where people can take part in voice chat

A proposed new nuclear power station in Suffolk has cleared a legal hurdle after the Court of Appeal ruled the government’s decision to approve the site was lawful. Protest group Together Against Sizewell C argues the nuclear site will cause irreparable damage to the Suffolk Coast and brought the challenge, which was dismissed on Wednesday

Spring energy bills are projected to ease as energy markets stabilise, according to a closely-watched forecast. Energy bills in the three months from April to June are projected to fall 16% to £1,660 a year for the average user, according to research firm Cornwall Insight. It’s a £268 drop from the energy cap from next

Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund is gaining full ownership of McLaren Group, one of the most revered names in British premium manufacturing, as part of long-term plans to secure a partnership with a global industry giant. Sky News has learnt that Mumtalakat, the Gulf state’s investment fund, is on the brink of a deal with McLaren’s