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(Sharecast News) - Consumer confidence hit its highest level in almost two years in July, according to research that indicated the closing stages of the men's football World Cup and more people holidaying in the UK lifted summer spending. A truce in the Middle East conflict in June and the arrival of a new prime minister in No 10 also gave a lift to consumers after a long period of heightened uncertainty. A long-running monthly consumer spending survey by Barclays showed that 30% of those surveyed felt confident about the strength of the UK economy in July - representing a 21-month high and a six-percentage-point improvement on June. - Guardian
Councils are to be given powers to stop betting and vape shops taking over their high streets under new plans announced by Andy Burnham. Local authorities will be able to reject new betting shops and adult gaming centres, while vape shops will be subject to planning permission under plans Downing Street said could be in place from the start of next year. Burnham is promising to scrap the "aim to permit" rule in the Gambling Act 2005, which in effect requires councils to allow new gambling premises where applications meet licensing requirements. - Guardian
EasyJet faces having its debt downgraded to junk status on the back of a takeover by an American private equity giant. The budget airline could have its credit rating cut as a result of a £5.7bn takeover by Apollo Global Management, analysts at Moody's warned, with the deal expected to load up the carrier with debt. Luigi Bucci, Moody's lead analyst, said the ratings agency had launched a review after concluding the deal would "result in a material deterioration of easyJet's credit profile". - Telegraph
Hedge funds focused on AI stocks have suffered their worst month since 2008, according to new figures. A plunge in the value of US tech giants and Asian semiconductor groups led tech funds to drop by 7pc in July, according to new data from Hedge Fund Research (HFR). This is the worst period for them since the depths of the global financial crisis in January 2008. - Telegraph
Thames Water has handed its chief financial officer a £1 million "sign-on" payment and reached retention agreements with about a dozen senior bosses, prompting renewed calls for the government to put the troubled company into special administration. Britain's biggest water company, whose creditors are seeking government support for a last-ditch deal to retain control, made the payment to Steve Buck - who had joined from Pennon Group in April 2025 - at the end of last month from an emergency creditor facility. - The Times
