6:19 am, October 28, 2025
Shop price inflation slows despite soaring cost of fresh food
Shop price inflation slowed in October despite fresh food now costing 4.3% more than it did a year ago, latest industry figures show.
Overall shop prices were 1% higher than a year ago this month, down from 1.4% in September, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and market researchers NIQ.
Overall food inflation fell to 3.7% from September’s 4.2% as easing global sugar prices helped to bring down the cost of chocolate and confectionery just ahead of Halloween.
HSBC announces £898m drop in quarterly profits
HSBC reported pre-tax profits of 7.3 billion US dollars (£5.5bn) for the third quarter – a drop of 1.2 billion US dollars (£898m) on the same period 12 months ago.
The announcement comes a day after the banking giant revealed it will set aside 1.1 billion US dollars (£826m) following a court ruling related to a long-running lawsuit brought by investors who lost money in Bernard Madoff’s investment fraud.
The British lender said the drop in profits compared to 2024 ‘reflected an increase in operating expenses’ during the third quarter which included legal provisions of 1.4 billion US dollars (£1.04bn), the bulk of which was related to the Madoff lawsuit.
Alpine announces final production run of A110 coupes
Alpine has announced that there will be a final production run of all three A110 coupe models before production ends next year.
All three versions of the A110 are still available to order, with the entry-level model featuring a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces a total of 248bhp. The mid-level GTS replaced the old GT and S models earlier this year, and has power boosted to 296bhp, while the top-rung R features carbon fibre body panels and parts.
Just 1,750 units of the A110 and GTS models will be built between now and the middle of next year, while the R will be capped at just 50 examples. Prices start at the equivalent of £58,500 and rise to £107,000.
The markets
The FTSE 100 edged upwards on Monday, notching another record close, ahead of a week dominated by central bank meetings and tech earnings.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 8.20 points, or 0.1%, at 9,653.82. It had earlier set a new intra-day high of 9,672.74. The FTSE 250 ended 17.54 points lower, or 0.1%, at 22,511.48, and the AIM All-Share declined 4.66 points, 0.6%, at 772.60.
The pound was quoted higher at 1.3331 dollars at the time of the London equity market close on Monday, compared with 1.3301 dollars on Friday.
Phillipson sets out end-of-parliament timelines for removing Raac from schools
All schools that are not earmarked to be rebuilt should be free from reinforced autoclaved aerated concreate (Raac) by the end of this parliament, the education secretary has said.
Raac, which has been shown to be susceptible to structural failure, has been permanently removed from 62 schools and colleges so far, the government has confirmed.
All schools with the crumbly concrete that are marked for rebuilding should be in delivery by the end of this parliament, Bridget Phillipson has added.
Controversy surrounding Andrew continues to grow as King heckled
The controversy surrounding Prince Andrew has continued to grow as the King was heckled during an engagement in the Midlands.
Charles was a few metres away from a man in the crowd who asked a string of questions including ‘How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?’ during the visit to Lichfield Cathedral on Monday.
The monarchy is coming under increasing pressure to resolve the issue of Andrew, with some MPs eager to debate the topic.
Monday on Car Dealer
Group 1 cleared of wrongful dismissal after veteran sales manager accused manager of bullying
A veteran sales manager who claimed to have been forced out of his job by workplace bullying has seen his claim for wrongful dismissal rejected by a judge.
NADA 2026: What’s in-store for those attending the world’s biggest dealer conference?
In February 2026, Car Dealer will be heading to the NADA conference along with a group of UK dealers and suppliers – but with so much to see at the show, what should delegates be looking for?
Changan outlines ambitious UK dealer plans as it looks to open 60 sites by the end of this year
Changan is aiming to have 60 UK showrooms up and running by the end of this year as it becomes the latest Chinese brand to have a crack at the UK market.
Central Car Auctions expands offering to dealers with new site in north of England
Central Car Auctions has grown its offering to dealers with the opening of a new site in the north of England.
Weather
Cloud and rain will spread across Northern Ireland and Scotland today, while the rest of the UK stays mostly dry with sunny spells and a few showers along the south coast, reports BBC Weather.
Tonight, rain moves east across the north and reaches southern England and Wales, with clear spells following behind.
