6:40 am, February 16, 2026
Craft beer brewer BrewDog could be broken up as sale process begins
Beermaker BrewDog could be broken up after consultants were called in to help look for new investors.
The Scotland-based brewer, which makes craft beer such as Punk IPA and Elvis Juice, has appointed consultants AlixPartners to oversee a sale process.
Last month, BrewDog announced it was closing its distilling brands, sparking concerns for jobs at its facility in Ellon, Aberdeenshire. The company, which was founded in 2007, said it made the decision to focus on its beer products. No decision has been made in respect of the sale process.
Lloyds sets out new pay policy with potential for boss to land £17.7m payout
Lloyds has revealed that its boss’s pay package jumped by a fifth in 2025, and set out proposals that could mean he has the potential to earn as much as £17.7m this year.
Total pay for group chief executive Charlie Nunn jumped to £7.4m in 2025, from £6.2m the prior year. This was driven by an increase in his salary as well as a bigger annual bonus and long-term share awards.
Nunn ‘demonstrated strong leadership throughout another challenging year for consumers’, the banking group said in its annual report, published on Friday.
Volvo EX30 gains ‘Black Edition’ variant
Volvo has revealed a new ‘Black Edition’ variant of its EX30 electric SUV.
It gets high gloss black 19-inch alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, black badging, a black rear spoiler, black door mirror caps and the car is finished off in Onyx Black paintwork. Inside, the Black Edition is complemented by exclusive ‘Indigo’ upholstery with textile materials and upcycled denim trim.
Black Edition comes in Plus and Ultra trims and in Single Motor Extended Range and Twin Motor Performance guises. Prices start from £40,060.
The markets
Stock prices in London closed mostly higher on Friday following the news that US consumer inflation slowed more than expected last month.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 43.91 points, 0.4%, at 10,446.35. The FTSE 250 ended up 122.28 points, 0.5%, at 23,427.27, and the AIM all-share closed up 0.69 points, 0.1%, at 811.85.
The pound was quoted at 1.3626 dollars at the time of the London equities close on Friday, slightly down from 1.3628 on Thursday. The euro stood at 1.1868 dollars, almost flat against 1.1869.
Former business secretary calls for probe into Andrew’s time as trade envoy
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s time as a trade envoy should be investigated for possible corruption, a former business secretary has said.
Documents released by the US Department of Justice appeared to show the former prince sharing confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Sir Vince Cable, whose time as business secretary between 2010 and 2015 overlapped with Andrew’s envoy role, said the activity was ‘totally unacceptable’.
Trump says Board of Peace will unveil £3.6bn in Gaza reconstruction pledges
Donald Trump has said members of his so-called Board of Peace have pledged 5 billion dollars (£3.6bn) towards rebuilding war-ravaged Gaza and will commit thousands of personnel to international stabilisation and police forces for the territory.
The pledges will be formally announced when board members gather in Washington on Thursday for their first meeting, the US president said.
‘The Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential International Body in History, and it is my honor to serve as its Chairman,’ he wrote in a social media post announcing the pledges.
Latest on Car Dealer
XPeng looks to step up dealer growth as Chinese brand outlines plans for UK network
Chinese brand XPeng is in talks with potential new dealer partners as the Chinese brand looks to continue growing its network in the UK.
Discontinued Fords flying as used car market ‘wakes up’ in February
The fastest-selling car so far this month might have been the Tesla Model Y, but older cars are still dominating the top 10 while discontinued Ford models proved popular.
Hendy boss ‘truly humbled’ after winning global Ford Motor Company award
The boss of Hampshire-based dealer group Hendy says he’s ‘truly humbled’ at winning a global award from Ford Motor Company.
Mazda names top-performing retailers in annual National Dealer League awards
Mazda UK has revealed the winners of its National Dealer League awards that recognise best performing retailers of 2025.
Weather
A windy day with scattered showers, most frequent in the north and west, turning wintry over higher ground, reports BBC Weather. Sunny spells will develop between showers.
Tonight will be mostly dry and cold with clear skies, though the south-west and eastern coasts see further showers, wintry on hills.
