6:22 am, July 24, 2025
Wetherspoon hails ‘standout’ Guinness sales while breakfasts rebound
JD Wetherspoon has revealed its sales rose in recent months as it hailed Guinness as a ‘standout performer’ and reported a rebound in demand for breakfasts.
The chain, which runs 794 pubs in the UK and Ireland, said sales increased by 5.1% in the three months to July 20, compared like-for-like with the same period last year.
The volume of sales recently overtook pre-pandemic levels, the company revealed, having previously flagged a slow recovery across its estate. It highlighted strong draught sales, particularly Guinness, as well as growth for wine and an improvement in spirits.
Evri cashes in on second-hand boom with record number of deliveries
Evri delivered more parcels than ever over the past year as it cashed in on the growth of ‘bedroom CEOs’ selling second-hand items and newer delivery opportunities like car parts and flowers.
The West Yorkshire-based group said it delivered more than 807 million parcels over the year to the end of February.
This was 11% more than the 730 million the previous year, and represents a 25% increase in parcel numbers in the last two years. Revenues for the company jumped by 12% to £1.85bn year-on-year.
Jaecoo 5 goes on sale priced from £24,505
Jaecoo has announced that its new 5 SUV has gone on sale priced from £24,505.
The 5 will sit below the firm’s larger 7 SUV, and will be competing with cars such as the Ford Puma and Jeep Avenger.
There will be two trim levels with the entry-level Pure model featuring a 13.2-inch infotainment screen, automatic headlights, a premium six-speaker Sony audio system and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The markets
European stocks climbed on Wednesday, boosted by hopes of further progress in trade talks after the US struck a deal with Japan.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 37.68 points, 0.4%, at 9,061.49, a record closing peak. It had earlier hit an all-time high of 9,080.09. The FTSE 250 closed up 79.23 points, 0.4%, at 22,013.49 and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.85 points, 0.5%, at 773.99.
The pound rose to 1.3571 dollars late on Wednesday afternoon in London, compared with 1.3508 at the equities close on Tuesday.
Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi set to sign off on Britain-India trade deal
Sir Keir Starmer and India’s Narendra Modi are set to sign off on a trade deal worth £6bn in investment for the British economy.
The prime minister and his Indian counterpart also agreed ahead of their meeting on Thursday to ramp up joint efforts to tackle illegal migration and organised crime.
The UK-India trade deal is understood to be the largest of its kind for its economic impact on Britain.
Britain risks being ‘dumping ground’ for forced labour goods – watchdog
Britain risks being a ‘dumping ground’ for goods linked to forced labour in countries like China unless the government reforms its anti-slavery laws, Parliament’s human rights watchdog has warned.
Existing rules are failing to prevent products flown from Xinjiang, where Beijing is accused of employing Uighur Muslim people against their will, ending up on UK shelves, according to a new report.
In the 99-page document, MPs and peers on the influential Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) called on ministers to impose import bans on goods linked to forced labour.
Wednesday on Car Dealer
Renault sees cars sales boom in Europe, but van collapse stagnates growth
Renault posted flat Q2 growth despite leading Europe’s electric car market, as van sales plunged 29%, offsetting strong passenger car demand. EV sales rose 57%, led by the Renault 5, but economic uncertainty and commercial vehicle competition impacted overall performance and emissions targets remain a concern.
Shares in Toyota and Honda surge as Trump announces Japan tariff deal
Automotive shares soared after President Trump secured a trade deal with Japan, reducing car import tariffs from 25% to 15%. Toyota and Honda stocks surged, while Japan committed $550bn in US investments. The Nikkei 225 hit a one-year high.
Trump tariffs have cost USA’s biggest car maker $1.1bn in operating income
General Motors reported a $1.1bn hit from Trump’s tariffs, causing Q2 profits to fall 32% to $3bn. Revenue slipped 2% to $47bn. GM lowered its annual forecast and plans $4bn in U.S. plant investments to reduce future tariff exposure.
Jaguar Land Rover delays launch of electric Range Rover until 2026
The electric Range Rover’s launch has been delayed until 2026, with other JLR EVs, including new Jaguar and Velar models, also facing setbacks. Delays align with Tata’s Somerset battery plant, now expected to begin production in late 2027, a year behind schedule.
Alfa Romeo jumps on pre-EV Grant bandwagon by slashing price of Elletrica
Alfa Romeo is the first non-Chinese brand to offer incentivised discounts on its electric models, ahead of official EV Grant details being finalised.
Weather
Today will become cloudy with showers in East Anglia and the south-east, reports BBC Weather. The Midlands stays mostly cloudy, with isolated showers in Scotland and near the Pennines.
Tonight, most areas clear up, except the north-west and south-east, which remain cloudy with light rain in the north-west.
