Business

Chris Baraniuk Technology Reporter InventWood Inventwood’s timber is treated to become super-strong Could your house take a bullet for you? Clad it with a new type of modified wood, and it might, says Alex Lau, co-founder and executive chairman of InventWood. The US-based company has developed Superwood – a modified wood it claims is stronger…

There may well be a few sighs of relief from senior finance company and banking executives following the Supreme Court’s ruling, but it is unlikely you will hear the champagne corks popping. The verdict does almost certainly reduce the potential compensation bill significantly. Lenders no longer face the prospect of having to pay £30bn to…

Osmond Chia Business reporter, BBC News Getty Images Cars and smartphones may rank among South Korea’s biggest exports to the US, but few goods inspire a more devoted following than the Asian country’s beauty products. K-beauty – a term that covers a wide range of skincare, makeup and cosmetics from South Korea – is lauded…

Christine Ro Technology Reporter Getty Images Brake dust and tyre wear are significant sources of pollutants Garage owner Kevan Gibbons has noticed many changes in his 45 years in the motor trade. Cars are much bigger than when he started out. Driving styles have changed too, with more frequent stopping. All that starting and stopping,…

Michelle Lawrie samples about 32 plates of peas a day – and then has more for tea. Ms Lawrie works as a quality manager at frozen food company Birds Eye at the firm’s processing factory in Hull. She checks the condition of the harvested produce and says the long spell of warm, dry weather has…

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Jonathan Josephs Reporting fromLa Rochelle, western France BBC Solvay’s rare earths processing facility in western France is one of only two in Europe For almost 80 years rare earth metals have been pumped out of this industrial plant in La Rochelle on France’s west coast. But as the materials become more and more crucial to…

Osmond Chia Business reporter, BBC News Getty Images US President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on more than 90 countries around the world have come into effect. Moments before his deadline passed for countries to negotiate US trade deals, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that billions of dollars were now flowing into his…

So why has the Bank of England cut rates when inflation is well above its target of 2% and seems set to remain there? This vexed question is why the proceedings of the Bank’s nine member Monetary Policy Committee were so close and even involved an unprecedented second vote. The bottom line is that in…

Rachel Clun Business reporter, BBC News Getty Images Changes to the Bank of England’s base rate can affect mortgage and savings rates The Bank of England has cut UK interest rates from 4.25% to 4%, the lowest level since March 2023. The Bank of England interest rate can affect mortgage rates and interest rates on…