Business
JLR supply chain staff told to apply for universal credit, union says
Workers throughout the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) supply chain are being told to apply for universal credit following the cyber attack on the company, a union has said.
Unite said staff were being laid off with “reduced or zero pay” following the hack, which has forced the carmaker to shut down its IT networks and halt production.
Unite has called for the UK government to set up a furlough scheme, similar to the one announced by the Scottish government for bus maker Alexander Dennis.
JLR declined to comment on the union’s claim. It has previously said factory production would not resume until 24 September at the earliest, but sources claim disruption could last until November.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said it was the “government’s responsibility to protect jobs and industries that are a vital part of the economy”.
“Workers in the JLR supply chain must not be made to pay the price for the cyber attack,” she added.
Minister for Industry Chris McDonald met representatives from JLR on Tuesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, he said he has had discussions with the firm about restarting production and will be meeting with others in the industry, and those that supply it, in the coming days to hear about the issues they are facing as a result of the cyber attack.
“We know this is a worrying time for those affected, and although Jaguar Land Rover are taking the lead on support for their own supply chain, our cyber experts are supporting them to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” he said.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday there were currently no discussions about offering taxpayer help to JLR amid the production pause.
JLR’s supply chain supports 104,000 jobs in the UK and sits at the top of a pyramid of suppliers, many of whom are highly dependent on the carmaker being their main customer.
The hack, which occurred more than two weeks ago, has forced the manufacturer to shut down its computer systems and close production lines worldwide.
The crisis is thought to have cost JLR at least £50m a week. A criminal investigation is under way.
There are growing concerns that many of JLR’s suppliers, small and medium-sized firms, do not have the resources to cope with an extended interruption to business and subsequent losses.
JLR’s three factories in Britain normally produce around 1,000 cars a day. It has told many of its 33,000 staff to stay at home.
Liam Byrne MP, the chair of the Commons business and trade committee, said on Wednesday that the attack could see hundreds of supply chain staff laid off.
Byrne said he had written to the chancellor to request Covid-style emergency help for suppliers.
“This is not a mere flicker on the screen at Jaguar Land Rover, this is a digital siege and it’s sent a cyber shockwave through their supply chain,” he said.
“We think this is an attack which is much, much worse than the attack that took down Marks and Spencer.”
JLR has said it delayed restarting production as a “forensic investigation” of the cyber attack continued and it considered a “controlled restart” of global operations.
New Delhi: The fourth round (November 3-7, 2025) of negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) commenced on Monday in Auckland, New Zealand, marking another step forward in advancing a balanced, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial partnership between the two nations.
According to India’s commerce ministry, this development builds on the shared commitment to deepen economic ties and guidance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit of the New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister in March 2025.
The FTA was launched during the meeting between Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Todd McClay, Minister for Trade and Investment, New Zealand on March 16, 2025.
Negotiations in this round are focusing on key areas, including Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, and Rules of Origin, the commerce ministry said in a statement today.
“Both sides are working constructively to build on the progress achieved in earlier rounds, to reach convergence on outstanding issues and move towards the early conclusion of the FTA,” the statement added
India and New Zealand reiterated their commitment to developing a forward-looking and inclusive trade framework that supports sustainable growth and shared prosperity for both economies.
India is actively negotiating trade agreements with nearly a dozen countries, including the United States, the European Union, Australia, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and several others, in a bid to expand trade and secure long-term growth opportunities.
The coming months are expected to be critical, when the outcomes of these negotiations could redefine India’s role in the global trade architecture and shape its economic trajectory for the next decade.
India has, over the past 5 years, inked several trade deals, including the India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) implemented in 2021, the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) in 2022, the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in 2024, and the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed in 2025, which is understandably yet to come into force.
Negotiations for a comprehensive trade deal between India and Oman, which commenced in 2023, were recently concluded.
Business
Consumer healthcare mega merger: Kimberly-Clark to acquire Tylenol maker Kenvue in $48.7 billion cash and stock deal; $1.9 billion cost savings targeted post-merger – The Times of India
Kimberly-Clark is set to acquire Tylenol maker Kenvue in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $48.7 billion, creating one of the world’s largest consumer health goods companies, AP reported.Under the terms of the agreement, Kenvue shareholders will receive $3.50 per share in cash and 0.14625 Kimberly-Clark shares for each Kenvue share held at closing. Based on Kimberly-Clark’s closing share price on Friday, the deal values Kenvue stock at $21.01 per share.Following the merger, Kimberly-Clark shareholders will own around 54% of the combined entity, while Kenvue shareholders will hold about 46%. The companies said the merger is expected to generate annual net revenues of approximately $32 billion in 2025. They also identified an estimated $1.9 billion in cost savings to be realised within the first three years after the deal closes.“With a shared commitment to developing science and technology to provide extraordinary care, we will serve billions of consumers across every stage of life,” said Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO Mike Hsu in a statement.Hsu will lead the merged company as chairman and CEO, while three members of Kenvue’s board will join Kimberly-Clark’s board upon closing. The combined company will retain Kimberly-Clark’s headquarters in Irving, Texas, and maintain a significant presence at Kenvue’s existing locations.The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of next year, pending approval from shareholders of both companies.In early trading, Kimberly-Clark shares dropped more than 15% before the market open, while Kenvue’s stock surged over 20%.
Interest rates: five steady cuts after sharp correction up
It’s sometimes hard to keep pace with everything around interest rates, how much it has all changed and the wider impact it has.
This chart helps display the rate of change, at least: post-Covid we had basically a zero rate for a long period, but the cost of living crisis across 2022 and 2023 saw interest rates shoot higher in quick succession as the BoE tried to stem inflation, which hit 11%.
Since last year the base rate began to decline, we’ve had five cuts in total.
Three this year came in February, May and August.
Karl Matchett3 November 2025 09:20
Economics expert explains why BoE may wait for Budget
Thomas Pugh, chief economist at tax firm RSM UK, is one of those who thinks the MPC will remain prudent for now.
“Financial markets have gone from pricing in less than a 25% chance of another rate cut by the end of the year to a two-thirds chance now, due to a lower inflation peak and rumours of a less-inflationary budget,” he explained.
“We doubt this will be enough to tempt the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) into a rate cut next week. We expect a 3-6 vote for a hold. But it throws the door wide open to a rate cut in December, especially if the budget is deflationary.”
Karl Matchett3 November 2025 09:00
‘Odds 50-50’ on a December rate cut
Not everyone is immediately convinced, of course.
Plenty still think it’s more likely that the BoE will persist with their cautious approach so far and at least wait for one more monthly set of data to be taken in before opting to cut.
Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, points to the money market still being split on December at the moment.
“London stocks have a touch higher this morning as investors brace for a pivotal week at the Bank of England. Rates are widely expected to stay at 4% on Thursday, but the real debate is whether policymakers deliver a cut in December, with odds hovering near 50-50. With stubborn inflation and slowing growth, expectations for the year ahead are in the balance.
Karl Matchett3 November 2025 08:40
Barclays join calls for interest rates cut
Last week Goldman Sachs said they think a rate cut is in the offing, and now Barclays have joined them.
Noting that “shop price data point to further disinflation in October”, Barclays analysts have suggested the Bank of England’s MPC members will provide a split vote – they predict 5-4 – but the ultimate outcome will be a cut.
“We acknowledge the decision remains finely balanced, but expect the recent downside inflation and labour market news to tip the vote to a cut,” read the analysis note, from Jack Meaning and Silvia Ardagna.
Food inflation is a key tipping point in the vote, they predict, and it appears to be on the way down (disinflation).
Karl Matchett3 November 2025 08:20
Inflation data behind change of heart on interest rate cuts
Rewind the tape a few weeks and banks, economists and analysts were unified in their belief: no interest rate cut pre-Budget, quite possibly none for the rest of 2025.
However, inflation data for September changed all that.
We didn’t hit 4% as expected, and now the worst is expected to have passed.
On the back of that, jobs data came in weaker again too as companies continued to reign in the hiring and vacancies were down to a multi-year low.
Now, more than one bank has changed its tune.
Karl Matchett3 November 2025 08:14
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