Consumer concerns over the spread of the Omicron strain impacted on retail sales during December as the buoyant early Christmas shopping figures of November fell by 3.7% the following month.

The UK government has proposed wide-ranging new laws aimed at strengthening the country’s cyber resilience. The move comes after a rise in incidents targeting national infrastructure around the world. Among the measures outlined are improvements in the way organisations report cyber security incidents, and new laws to drive up security standards in outsourced IT services used by almost all UK businesses.

UK company bosses are approaching a tipping point on environmental, societal and governance (ESG) related activity, with an increased transparency and personal accountability on issues such as climate change and inequality, according to PwC’s 25th Annual CEO Survey.

The CBI has welcomed the latest round of changes to international travel rules – a welcome step forward for the sector as it looks ahead “with hopeful eyes” for a return to normal this year

In a recent book review for this magazine, we took a look at a guide to crisis management, which, I assured readers, would help them to sleep at night – safe in the knowledge that they would be prepared to weather any storm.

The FCA has warned European firms wishing to remain in the temporary permissions regime (TPR) that they need to meet the authority’s standards to continue operating in the country.