6:42 am, August 20, 2026
Carlsberg boosted by strong sales of soft drinks and alcohol-free beer
Soft drinks and non-alcoholic beer have helped boost trading at Carlsberg as demand for beer remained under pressure.
The Danish beer giant said it had been supported by earlier-than-expected benefits from its £3.3bn takeover of J2O maker Britvic last year. It told shareholders it is on track to deliver operating profit growth of between 4% and 6% this year after enjoying positive synergies from the deal.
The company, which also brews Poretti and Erdinger, said beer volumes declined to 52.2 million hectolitres for the first half of 2026, compared with 52.7 million a year earlier.
Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School investigated over pricing
The UK competition watchdog has launched investigations into the Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School over concerns customers were not shown full prices upfront.
Consumers affected could get compensation if it is found that the companies broke the law, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said.
The probes are part of a wider clampdown by the regulator over misleading pricing practices. It said this includes practices were mandatory charges are separated from the headline price or added later in the buying process, known as drip pricing.
Aion UT to start from £28,950
New Chinese brand Aion has announced that its upcoming UT supermini will get a starting price of £28,950.
The UT, which will rival cars like the Renault 4 and Citroen e-C3, will come with a high level of standard equipment including a 14.6-inch infotainment screen, heated steering wheel and 360-degree parking camera.
Underneath, the UT gets a 60kWh battery which unlocks a claimed range of 268 miles. It’s linked to a single electric motor which helps the car to go from 0-60mph in 7.0 seconds.
The markets
The FTSE 100 shrugged off early falls to close higher on Wednesday after the US Treasury said it plans to boost buybacks of longer-dated bonds.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 15.31 points, 0.1%, at 10,743.35. The FTSE 250 ended up 82.09 points, 0.3%, at 24,643.52, and the AIM All-Share closed up 7.29 points, 0.9%, at 801.54.
Reflecting the domestic data and the US Treasury moves, the pound traded at 1.3608 dollars on Wednesday afternoon, up from 1.3539 dollars at the equities close on Tuesday. Against the euro, sterling fell to 1.1669 euros from 1.1693 euros.
PM vows to help households through ‘really hard’ times as inflation jumps higher
Prime minister Andy Burnham has pledged to do what he can to help Britons through ‘really hard’ times as cost pressures mount after figures showed inflation surging to a four-month high and forecasts for more pain ahead.
Burnham blamed the ‘effect of the conflict in the Middle East’ after official data showed Consumer Prices Index inflation hit 2.9% in July, up from 2.6% in June and the highest level since March.
It followed a 13% hike in Ofgem’s energy price cap last month, which increased the average gas and electricity bill by £221 to £1,862 a year. A forecast is expecting a further 4% rise when the next quarterly cap for October to December is announced on August 26.
Train passengers face potential 4.2% fares hike
Regulated train fares in England could increase by more than 4% next year.
The potential rise is based on the Office for National Statistics announcing that Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation rose to 3.2% in July.
The government has not confirmed what it will do about fare rises in 2027, but last year’s 4.6% cap was one percentage point above RPI in July 2024. If that formula is used to set next year’s increase, the cost of train travel will jump by 4.2%.
Wednesday on Car Dealer
How trusted are car dealers? Tell us what you think in our exclusive survey
Car dealers will be all too aware of how distrusted they are by some consumers – but we want to know about your real life experiences in showrooms.
Podcast: Used EVs can deliver strong margins if dealers buy them right, says Car Quay boss
Used electric cars can deliver strong margins for dealers prepared to buy the right stock at the right price, according to Car Quay founder Jamie Caple.
Banned driver jailed after stealing £12,000 VW Golf GTI from used car dealership
A banned driver who stole a Volkswagen Golf GTI worth almost £12,000 from a used car dealership before driving dangerously through Oldham has been jailed.
Revealed: The biggest mistakes used car dealers are still making when selling EVs
EV adoption may be picking up at an impressive rate but a number of misconceptions remain when it comes to how to sell used electric cars.
Pinewood.AI recommends £545m US takeover despite shareholder opposition
Pinewood.AI has moved a step closer to going private after the automotive software provider recommended a £545m takeover bid to its shareholders.
Used EVs dominate CarGurus’ fastest-selling cars with Tesla Model 3 on top
Electric cars filled every spot in the top 10 fastest-selling used cars in July as dealers continued to see strong demand for second-hand EVs.
Gates profits dip but bosses are feeling positive after car dealer’s ‘year of momentous change’
Bosses at dealer group Gates say they are ‘pleased’ with the firm’s ‘robust’ performance in 2025, despite profits dropping for the fourth year in a row.
Car dealer Brayleys adds two Suzuki dealerships in Thurrock and Milton Keynes
Dealer group Brayleys has strengthened its ties with Suzuki by opening two new dealerships in the south of England.
Road test: Could the new EX60 be the best electric Volvo ever? We find out…
Volvo’s electric range is growing at pace, but can the new EX60 really take the fight to the best premium EVs? James Batchelor gets behind the wheel to find out.
Eden Motor Group signs up with Jeep as it adds American brand to its Christchurch site
Eden Motor Group has added Jeep to its list of franchise partners after agreeing a deal to represent the American brand in Dorset.
Polestar opens new site in Leicester – its largest retail space in Europe
Polestar has opened its largest retail space in Europe in Leicester as the electric car maker continues to expand its UK presence.
Weather
Today brings sunny spells and scattered showers, heaviest across Wales and central and southern England, where thunderstorms are possible, reports BBC Weather. It’ll also be breezy in the south.
Tonight, showers will ease inland, leaving clear, dry spells, while coastal showers continue, particularly across west Wales and north-east England overnight.