Workers meticulously assemble quality footwear at a shoe manufacturing warehouse in Marikina City, July 9, 2025. PHOTO BY MIGUEL DE GUZMAN, THE PHILIPPINE STARBy Aubrey Rose A. Inosante, ReporterPhilippine factory activity improved in December, rebounding from the slump in November amid a rise in new
Ikea is accelerating its shift towards smaller city-centre stores in Britain, as rising property taxes and changing shopping habits blunt the appeal of traditional out-of-town megastores. Peter Jelkeby, the outgoing chief executive of Ikea UK and Ireland, said the Swedish retailer would focus future expansion on
The ambition to turn the Oxford–Cambridge corridor into “Europe’s Silicon Valley” is in danger of stalling unless the government accelerates delivery of long-promised infrastructure, business leaders have warned. A coalition of major companies, universities and investors has written to Rachel Reeves urging faster progress on transport
Beyoncé has officially become a billionaire, according to Forbes, cementing her status as one of the most commercially successful musicians of all time. The American superstar is now the fifth musician to be recognised by Forbes as having amassed a ten-figure fortune, joining an elite group
The upmarket fashion retailer LK Bennett is on the brink of collapse for the second time in six years after filing an application to appoint administrators. Court filings show the business submitted papers to the High Court on Tuesday, signalling that efforts to secure fresh funding
UK ministers are facing renewed pressure to tighten restrictions on gambling advertising, after new polling revealed strong public support for a far tougher approach to promotions and sponsorship. Gambling regulation has been the subject of increasingly heated debate in recent years, with governments introducing tighter controls
The UK motor finance arm of Mercedes-Benz has plunged into a £365 million loss after setting aside hundreds of millions of pounds to cover potential compensation linked to the mis-selling of car loans. Accounts filed for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK, based in Milton Keynes, show the
BW FILE PHOTOBy Aubrey Rose A. Inosante, ReporterTHE NATIONAL Government’s (NG) gross borrowings surged in November amid a sharp rise in domestic and foreign borrowings, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said.Latest data from the Treasury showed that total gross borrowings jumped by 74.55% to
1 of 2By Vonn Andrei E. VillamielCAGAYAN — For decades, Crecencia B. Garan planted yellow corn in the river plains of Alcala, Cagayan — only to watch most of her earnings circle back to the middlemen who financed her inputs.Each planting season left the 67-year-old
BW FILE PHOTOBy Katherine K. Chan, ReporterTHE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS to the country’s decades-old bank secrecy law would be a sensible preemptive measure against illicit financial activities, despite being limited to bank officers and employees.“The Philippines is one the very few countries with this, so (it
A man is silhouetted in an electronic board in this photo illustration taken in Rome. — REUTERSBy Alexandria Grace C. Magno THE PHILIPPINE Stock Exchange’s (PSE) main index will most likely consolidate or move sideways this year amid continued uncertainty, according to analysts. China Bank
STOCK PHOTO | Image by Radowan Nakif Rehan from UnsplashBy Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, ReporterTHE PHILIPPINES’ flexible workspace market is set to expand further this year as global capability centers (GCC) and multinationals increase their presence in key business districts and regional hubs, analysts said.“We expect