6:20 am, June 11, 2026
Government policy pricing out firms from hiring young people
The government is ‘pricing out’ firms from hiring young workers due to taxes and red tape, the bosses of more than 80 UK high street giants have warned.
Bosses at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis are among those to have told the Prime Minister that Government policies are ‘making it harder to hire young people’.
In a letter co-ordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), they said policymakers need to revisit national insurance, changes to the national living wage and employment rights to help support the creation of entry-level jobs.
It comes a fortnight after official figures showed that the number of young people neither working nor learning has jumped beyond one million for the first time since 2013.
PM wont rule out tax hikes for defence spending
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out tax hikes to fund defence spending.
He was pressed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions on whether taxpayers should expect an increase, but declined to respond directly.
The Government’s defence investment plan is due to be published ahead of the Nato summit in Turkey, which begins on July 7.
It was originally slated for publication last autumn but has been repeatedly delayed.
Third-generation Audi Q7
Audi’s Q7 has returned, with this third-generation car gaining a striking new design and a range of interior enhancements.
The original model was launched back in 2007 and has become a mainstay of the range as the brand’s largest and most practical SUV.
Now, the Q7 has returned with a completely new design which is far boxier than the one used on the previous-generation car. Gone is the more rounded look of this model’s predecessor, replaced instead by an altogether squarer appearance (pictured top).
The markets
The FTSE 100 made steady progress on Wednesday, outperforming US and European peers, despite ongoing tension in the Middle East and accelerating US inflation.
The FTSE 100 closed up 27.48 points, 0.3%, at 10,254.81. The FTSE 250 ended up 113.38 points, 0.5%, at 22,951.34, while the AIM All-Share fell 8.43 points, 1.1%, to 772.38.
In European equity markets on Wednesday, the CAC 40 in Paris ended down 0.5%, and the DAX 40 in Frankfurt closed 1.0% lower.
In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.0%, the S&P 500 was 0.7% lower and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.1%.
Wednesday on Car Dealer
Rising fuel prices force nearly one in five motorists to reduce vehicle use, study finds
A study by Money and Pensions Service has found that rising fuel prices are forcing nearly one in five motorists to cut back on driving or household spending, prompting the launch of a new fuel price comparison tool.
Voting for Car Dealer Power closes TODAY don’t miss chance to win free Apple prizes!
Car dealers have until midnight today to vote in Car Dealer Power 2026, with participants entered into a prize draw to win Apple products while helping decide the industry’s top manufacturers and suppliers.
Motorpoint announces soaring profits, sales and turnover in stellar set of final results
Motorpoint reported an 83% rise in pre-tax profit and record sales volumes for the year to March 2026, with bosses crediting data, AI and strong demand for helping the business outperform the wider used car market.
Subdued housing market may be starting to stabilise
The downturn in housing market activity may potentially be starting to stabilise, according to surveyors.
A net balance of 34% of property professionals reported in May that new buyer inquiries were falling rather than rising, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said.
While this continued to point to weaker housing market demand, it was the first time since January that demand had not moved further into negative territory.
The unchanged reading suggests the pace of decline is no longer intensifying, Rics said.
Sports Direct owner Frasers launches takeover bid for Hugo Boss
Sports Direct owner Frasers Group has launched a takeover offer for German luxury fashion brand Hugo Boss.
Mike Ashley’s retail vehicle, which currently owns around 26% of Hugo Boss, said it is offering to pay around 1.98 billion euro (£1.73 billion) for the remainder of the business to take full control.
The offer would see Frasers pay 38 euro per share to shareholders in the fashion firm.
The weather
According to the Met Office, Thursday will be wet and windy for many as rain spreads eastwards, turning heavy at times before gradually easing from the west later in the day.
The rain will become more showery through the evening, although some heavy downpours remain possible before drier conditions and clearer spells develop overnight.
Friday will be brighter across northern areas with sunshine and showers, while southern regions remain cloudier with some patchy rain in the west, alongside lighter winds and slightly warmer temperatures.
