November 21st – Reuters
The UK’s business pages are buzzing with stories from a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, finance, real estate, and media.
In the pharmaceutical industry, the British Pharmaceutical Association (BPA) has reached a deal to sell the National Health Service (NHS) with the government. This comes after months of negotiations and warnings that the country’s key growth sector is losing ground internationally. Meanwhile, Boodles CEO accused Rishi Sunak of ending VAT-free shopping for foreign tourists, calling it a “spectacular own goal.”
In finance, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey warned that UK interest rates will need to remain high for some time to come despite a sharp decline in annual inflation rates. On the other hand, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hinted at potential business tax cuts to boost economic growth, promising to reduce the tax burden “carefully and sustainably” over time.
Turning to real estate, EI is in talks about leaving its London headquarters as remote work continues to transform professional life. Additionally, Cazoo founder may see his stake in the company all but wiped out as bondholders take control. In media industry news, former Ofcom head acts as an undercover lobbyist for RedBird IMI which is in advanced negotiations to acquire The Daily Telegraph. Lastly, ousted OpenAI CEO said his top priority with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is ensuring OpenAI continues to thrive.