Living costs stories
Rising margins pressure and a Middle East supply shock are testing lenders, even as provisions and capital buffers are lifted.
Fuel now tops cost pressures for Australian SMEs, but most are still swallowing the rise rather than passing it on to customers.
Digital ordering and payment options are influencing behaviour, with more people using QR codes to avoid awkward money conversations with friends.
Australian CFOs face a turbulent 2026, juggling AI integration, cost pressures, talent gaps, new ESG rules and fragile supply chains.
Festive food, drink and dining out delivered a surprise December spending lift, as households splurged ahead of Christmas gatherings.
Australian consumers unsure about sharing bank data now have a plain-language guide as PocketSmith expands its use of consented open banking feeds.
More UK adults are ready to move abroad, as new research links language skills to higher pay, confidence and global career mobility.
Ransomware gangs are stepping up efforts to recruit insiders, warns NCC Group, as December 2025 attacks jump 13% to 784 globally.
UK merchants could see fewer abandoned baskets as emerchantpay adds card-linked instalments at checkout for eligible Visa shoppers.
Cashback spending on Chexy is rising fastest among Canadians under 40, highlighting a shift towards immediate rewards on bills, rent and taxes.
Britons are far more likely to reject changing grocery prices than embrace them, with fairness and clear pricing still driving loyalty.
Household budgets remain under strain as many cut essentials, dip into savings and miss payments, with £23 billion in support unclaimed yearly.
Middle-income households in Singapore are increasingly using cryptocurrency to diversify portfolios and buffer rising costs, a new survey shows.
Lower costs and lighter tax burdens have pushed Bucharest to the top of Europe’s startup rankings, while London fell to 69th globally.
Households may trim winter power costs as the system automatically adjusts heating and cooling using room conditions and daily routines.
Some households could offset April’s bill hikes by switching broadband or mobile, but council tax and water will still add to the squeeze.
Millions of households can trim some of the blow as out-of-contract broadband and mobile users face the sharpest rises from April.
UK retail sales jumped in January as online spending saw its fastest annual rise since 2021, signalling a more resilient consumer mood.
UK telecoms charter faces scrutiny as April bill hikes loom, with Ofcom complaints and consumer groups questioning value and service.
Canada's lending future is going hybrid as Money Mart doubles down on both mobile apps and 420-plus branches to widen access.