
The Bank of Canada announced a cut of a quarter of a percentage point to its key interest rate last week, bringing the rate down to 4.75%.
Canada is the first country in the G-7 to cut rates following the moves in recent years to increase rates throughout the worldwide economy. Canada has been increasing rates since March 2022 to deal with inflation.
The Canada central bank felt confident that inflation is moving towards its target of 2% and so were willing to make the cut.
Economists are predicting that this will start a move across the G-7 economies to cut interest rates. This would be good news for UK businesses. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) have also recommended that UK interest rates could be cut to 3.5% by the end of the year.
See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cldd6x6gglxo

The troubled Shetland SaxaVord Spaceport project has been saved. The £30 million rescue package for the ex-RAF station in Unst was announced the day after a rapidly rolled-out new UK space strategy was presented by the government.

The Apprenticeship Levy has undergone its biggest overhaul since its introduction, with major changes taking effect from 1 August 2026. For Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), the most significant development is the expansion of what levy funds can be used for under the new Growth and Skills Levy. This expansion comes alongside tighter funding rules, making planning more important than ever.

