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India's Reliance completes massive $7 billion rights issue

India's telecom-to-oil giant Reliance Industries on Wednesday completed a massive $7 billion rights issue in what it touted as the world's biggest by a non-financial institution in a decade.

Reliance, owned by Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani, had said the fundraising drive was meant to pay down debt and help shift the company to a digital future.


The firm said in a statement late Wednesday the rights issue was subscribed 1.59 times and attracted "huge investor interest".

The successful rights issue was a "vote of confidence, by both domestic investors, foreign investors and small retail shareholders, in the intrinsic strength of the Indian economy", Ambani said in a statement.

In April, Facebook took a $5.7 billion stake in the Mumbai-based firm's Jio digital platforms in one of India's biggest foreign investments.

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Uber

Takeaway apps have become a source of employment for undocumented migrants

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Uber warns UK food delivery costs could rise amid crackdown on illegal migration

Highlights:

  • Uber warns Home Office rules targeting illegal gig economy workers could increase takeaway delivery costs in the UK.
  • Undocumented migrants have historically used food delivery apps for work, exploiting limited right-to-work checks.
  • Companies like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat have introduced stricter checks, including facial recognition and document verification.
  • Compliance and administrative costs have contributed to a fall in Uber UK profits despite rising revenues.
  • Government enforcement includes thousands of interviews and hundreds of arrests for suspected illegal working.


Uber’s UK accounts at Companies House welcomed the Home Office’s efforts to deter migrants and people smugglers from risking Channel crossings. However, the company cautioned that “new legislative requirements could have an adverse impact on our business, including expenses necessary to comply with such laws and regulations.”

Takeaway apps have become a source of employment for undocumented migrants, attracted by historically limited right-to-work checks. Delivery riders have sometimes sold or rented their accounts on social media to “substitutes” who may be working illegally.

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Co-op and Bestway strike new deal to back independent retailers

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Co-op and Bestway strike new deal to back independent retailers

A NEW partnership has been formed between Co-op Wholesale and Costcutter Supermarkets Group (CSG) to support independent retailers across the UK.

Goes beyond the standard supply deal, it aims to bring the combined expertise and resources of both businesses together, helping local retailers compete in an increasingly tough convenience market, a statement said on Thursday (4).

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INDIA announced a major cut in consumption taxes on Wednesday, days after the United States imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods.

India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure would be simplified from four slabs to two, with reductions across several sectors. In some cases, levies have been reduced by more than half.

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Asda boss hails tech overhaul as key to revival despite sales slump

THE chairman of Asda has admitted the supermarket chain still faces challenges after sales slipped again over the summer, but said the completion of a major IT overhaul was crucial for its recovery.

Allan Leighton told the Times that the long-delayed technology project, called Project Future, had finally been finished after years of setbacks and costs exceeding £1 billion. The work involved separating more than 2,500 systems inherited from former owner Walmart, following Asda’s 2021 takeover by TDR Capital.

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UK car exports to US rebound after trade deal

UK VEHICLE exports to the United States rose in July after a new trade deal between London and Washington reduced tariffs, industry data showed on Thursday.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), exports increased 6.8 per cent in July to nearly 10,000 units, following three consecutive months of decline.

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