Oil prices ease as more tankers exit the Strait of Hormuz
Brent crude slipped back below pre-war levels as vessel traffic through the strait doubled, calming fears of a prolonged energy crunch.
Rajan Mehta 4 min read
Business
Business coverage here moves between markets, boardrooms and policy. Recent stories track oil prices easing as tankers exit the Strait of Hormuz, the CBI's warning that business taxes have hit a £345bn tipping point, and the sweeping new crime law reshaping corporate accountability. Media and consumer industries feature strongly, including Coca-Cola putting its $4bn global media account up for grabs, Disney's streaming arm swinging to double-digit margins, Netflix and Spotify blurring the line between streaming and podcasting, and Art Basel opening to a cautiously steadier art market.
Asian shares mixed after technology-led sell-off
Regional markets wavered as semiconductor stocks, currency expectations and Wall Street sentiment reshaped trading.
Rajan Mehta 3 min read
Art Basel 2026 opens amid cautious optimism as the market steadies
The flagship Swiss fair gathers 290 galleries from 43 countries and a new Basel Exclusive showcase, arriving as the latest Art Basel and UBS report points to a modest recovery in global sales.
Sophie Bennett 8 min read
Coca-Cola puts $4bn global media account up for grabs in WPP-Publicis showdown
The drinks giant has launched a review of its roughly $4bn global media, technology and data business, pitting incumbent WPP against rival Publicis in a contest framed around AI-driven planning.
Sophie Bennett 8 min read
Sweeping new crime law set to reshape corporate accountability from late June
The Crime and Policing Act 2026 comes into force on 29 June, introducing one of the most significant changes to UK corporate criminal liability in decades alongside new powers for police.
Eleanor Whitfield 7 min read
Netflix and Spotify blur the lines between streaming and podcasting
A distribution pact bringing Spotify Studios and Ringer video shows to Netflix marks the clearest sign yet that the podcast and television businesses are converging.
Rajan Mehta 7 min read
Disney streaming swings to double-digit margins as D'Amaro era opens
The first quarterly results under chief executive Josh D'Amaro showed direct-to-consumer operating income up 88 per cent, with the company guiding to accelerating growth in the second half.
Rajan Mehta 7 min read
Business taxes at a 'tipping point', CBI warns as bill hits £345bn
The employers' group says firms are being treated as a cash tap and cannot drive growth while shouldering record tax costs, led by higher employer National Insurance.
Rajan Mehta 7 min read
Neon chief Tom Quinn dismisses consolidation wave: 'I wouldn't survive a day'
Fresh from a seventh Palme d'Or win, Neon co-founder Tom Quinn used a Hollywood industry conference to warn that mega-mergers threaten competition and creativity.
Sophie Bennett 8 min read