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Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Wednesday newspaper round-up: Funeral costs, Frasers Group, KKR

(Sharecast News) - The "cost of dying" has hit a record high, prompting growing numbers of grieving UK families to turn to crowdfunding or sell possessions to help pay for a funeral, according to a report. The average cost of a basic funeral has increased by 3.5% in a year to hit an "all-time high" of £4,285, according to the insurer SunLife, which has been monitoring UK funeral costs for two decades. - Guardian The owner of Sports Direct has confirmed that two-thirds of its retail workforce remain on zero-hours contracts ahead of new legislation designed to limit their use. Frasers Group told MPs who are examining plans to strengthen protection for employees that 11,500 staff were on the contracts, which do not guarantee any weekly working shifts, and did not receive compensation even if shifts were changed at the last minute. - Guardian

Rachel Reeves's Budget tax raid will result in fewer workers across the retail sector, sparking fears that customers will receive worse customer service. As well as warning of price rises following the Budget, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said employers are also preparing to cut back on staffing to cover the cost of higher National Insurance rates. In its latest survey, the lobby group revealed that almost half of retail bosses expect to trim headcount in shops (46pc), while the majority of businesses (56pc) are also planning to reduce hours and pare back overtime. - Telegraph

KKR, the American private equity group, has appointed Sir Jeremy Darroch, a former boss of Sky, as an executive adviser to help it grow its telecoms, media and technology activities. Darroch, who was Sky's chief executive between 2007 and 2021, will help "identify new investment opportunities", KKR said. - The Times

The UK economy is edging closer to stagflation amid the sharpest fall in business confidence in two years and entrenched anxieties about tax rises, a survey shows. An index of business confidence compiled by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) slid by 14.2 points over the past three months to 0.2, the weakest reading since the final quarter of 2022 when the UK was gripped by financial market volatility after the mini-budget. - The Times

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Sunday newspaper round-up: Etihad float, Shein, Thames Water
(Sharecast News) - Abu Dhabi based carrier Etihad is planning to float a stake of up to 20% on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange. Sources indicate that it could command a valuation of $5bn (£4bn). It would be the second such transaction for its boss, Antonoaldo Neves. In 2017, the former McKinsey partner floated Azul, Brazil's third-largest airline, on the New York Stock Exchange. For Neves, any airline that aspires to be "relevant" needs to tap into different sources of capital. Its goal is to fly 170 jets by 2030, up from 93 at present. - The Sunday Times
Friday newspaper round-up: Gambling sector, FOS, Amazon
(Sharecast News) - The gambling regulator has accidentally handed over more than 4,000 sensitive documents to lawyers acting for the media tycoon Richard Desmond, in an "unprecedented" blunder during its legal battle over the £6.4bn national lottery contract, the Guardian understands. Northern & Shell (N&S), the investment group owned by Desmond, is suing the Gambling Commission for £200m in damages over its handling of the lottery licence award process. - Guardian
Thursday newspaper round-up: CMA, Riverford, Lloyds, Arm Holdings
(Sharecast News) - The appointment of the former boss of Amazon UK to lead the competition watchdog poses a threat to its independence and pledge to hold big tech to account, according to a group including tech companies and the former business secretary Vince Cable. The group - which includes the News Media Association, the Firefox developer Mozilla, the consumer group Which? and the Future of Technology Institute - has written to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to raise concerns about the appointment of Doug Gurr as the interim chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). - Guardian
Wednesday newspaper round-up: Thames Water, Johnson & Johnson, BoE
(Sharecast News) - Thames Water may need as much as £10bn in debt and equity investment to repair its finances, according to a representative of creditors hoping to lend the struggling utility another £3bn. London's high court heard evidence on Tuesday that suggested the UK's largest water company may need significantly more resources than the roughly £6.3bn it has previously indicated. - Guardian

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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