A development partnership set up to empower housing associations and community groups to build many more affordable homes in Yorkshire and Humber is having an increasing impact across the region.

A fully funded education programme is launching in South Yorkshire to train a new generation of women angel investors and increase funding for early-stage companies. The TECH SY x Lifted Angel Academy will support up to 20 women from across the region, including professionals, senior leaders and entrepreneurs.

A new three-year impact report from UK Boardroom Apprentice has highlighted the programme’s role in widening access to board roles, building confidence among aspiring members, and creating stronger pathways into public life. The evaluation summary, covering 2023 to 2025, shows growing demand for the 12-month learning, development, and placement initiative.

Accountancy and professional services firm DJH has strengthened its tax offering with the acquisition of specialist tax practice Forbes Dawson. The fast-growing firm, which operates across Yorkshire, the North West, the Midlands, and the South East, has welcomed Forbes Dawson into the group as part of its latest expansion plans.

Humber Freeport has showcased opportunities that have the potential to deliver up to £3bn of further transformational investment and 5,000 jobs. The development opportunities are set out in full for the first time in Humber Freeport’s new Investment Prospectus, launched at UKREiiF, the UK’s leading event for investment, regeneration, property and infrastructure.

While today’s labour market figures point to a stable and more positive picture than seen in recent months, in reality the landscape is shifting for UK employers. Although unemployment is holding at 5% and vacancies remaining at 3.9% - coupled with an increase in redundancies there is a clear lack of hiring confidence in the UK.

Connect Yorkshire, a not-for-profit business organisation helping Yorkshire businesses grow, is the latest big-name sponsor to partner with Harrogate International Festivals. The organisation, based in Leeds, has become one of the Festivals’ Associate Sponsors, further strengthening the arts charity’s regional business and community connections.

FTSE 100 on the back foot in early trades as crude prices ramp higher. Mining stocks lose ground as China data disappoints while energy giants rise as crude shoots higher again. The UK’s leadership crisis continues, with gilt investors the canaries in Labour’s coalmine. Both 10-year and 30-year gilts rise to fresh multi-decade highs. Anglo American shape shifts again, offloading its Australian steelmaking coal business.