Cruzcampo and Murphy’s sales rocket in UK, brewer Heineken says
Sales of beer brands Cruzcampo and Murphy’s Stout have shot up in the UK, brewer Heineken has revealed, as it posted higher profits after cutting around 3,000 jobs globally this year.
The volume of sales of Spanish lager brand Cruzcampo leaped by more than 30% year-on-year, helped by the launch of the ‘Sevilla Orange’ flavour which it said was attracting new customers. Murphy’s, an Irish stout, doubled in volume from increased sales in venues like pubs and bars and the rollout of cans in shops.
Heineken also highlighted a rebound in sales of Foster’s, helped by a partnership with the Professional Darts Corporation, as well as double-digit growth of premium cider brand Inch’s.
Mounjaro sales double this year as obesity drug boom prevails, says maker
Worldwide sales of weight loss and diabetes jab Mounjaro have doubled this year as demand continues to boom, drugmaker Eli Lilly has revealed.
The manufacturer said its obesity medications Mounjaro and Zepbound were driving an acceleration of its overall sales. Mounjaro sales totalled 18.6 billion dollars (£13.8bn) in the first six months of the year, up by 106%. Zepbound sales also leaped by 60% year-on-year to 9.1 billion dollars (£6.8bn).
Eli Lilly also recently launched Foundayo, an obesity drug in pill form, which generated 98 million dollars (£73m) in the first few months since approval.
Vauxhall’s Corsa GSE to hit the road priced from £32,995
Vauxhall has confirmed that its new Corsa GSE will be priced from £32,995 after the Electric Car Grant when it goes on sale next month.
The Corsa GSE is a modern interpretation of some of Vauxhall’s classic hot hatches, including the Corsa VXR and the Nova GTE.
Underneath, the Corsa GSE uses a single electric motor which produces 277bhp and 345Nm of torque, enabling a 0-60mph time of 5.2 seconds which makes it the fastest-accelerating production Vauxhall on sale today. It’ll also manage a top speed of 112mph. Vauxhall has also upgraded the brakes on the GSe, fitting Alcon four-piston front calipers and 355mm front discs.
The FTSE 100 edged higher on Wednesday, with gains in Next and mining stocks offsetting a drag from lower Asia-focused finance stocks.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 8.92 points, 0.1%, at 10,888.30. The FTSE 250 ended up 173.33 points, 0.7%, at 24,632.63, while the AIM All-Share closed up 7.42 points, 1.0%, at 781.78.
The pound traded at 1.3466 US dollars on Wednesday afternoon, up from 1.3445 dollars at the equities close on Tuesday. Against the euro, sterling fell to 1.1663 euro from 1.1674 euro.
Iran says agreement on Strait of Hormuz at ‘final stage’
Iran said on Wednesday it is in the ‘final stage’ of drafting an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, following US President Donald Trump saying a deal could be announced this week.
The deal could reopen the critical waterway, but the agreement is likely to be contingent on the US lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports.
Iran has insisted on some measure of control over the strait, saying it will not go back to being an open international waterway, as it was before the war.
Kemi Badenoch under fire for appointing former antisemite as adviser
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is facing mounting criticism over her decision to appoint a former antisemite as a party adviser.
Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who had been selected by the Tories to contest a council election next year, withdrew his candidacy after a backlash.
Badenoch said Bonehill-Paine will instead work with the Tories on tackling radicalisation as part of the party’s culture and integration commission.
Cap HPI has called on regulators to crack down on what it describes as rogue vehicle history check providers, warning that misleading websites are putting used car buyers at risk.
July saw an 11.7% rise in new car registrations, boosted by a ‘huge’ increase in EV sales, new data shows.
The Ford Puma returned to the top of the sales charts last month, while the retro Renault 5 continued being the UK’s most popular new EV.
‘A career highlight – I could have swung from the chandeliers!’ That’s how Culloden Cars boss Craig Walker described the feeling of winning a Used Car Award, as nominations for this year’s ceremony continue to pour in.
Snows Motor Group is expanding its BYD showroom in Waterlooville as demand for the Chinese brand continues to grow.
Dealer group Drive Motor Retail saw a sharp fall in profits last year despite posting strong revenues.
Lithia’s UK dealer operations generated almost £3bn in the first half of 2026 as the US giant delivered record sales across the business.
A number of automotive firms have named among the UK’s best workplaces for women.
Today will be more settled, with lingering cloud and the odd light shower giving way to drier conditions and sunny spells for most, reports BBC Weather.
Tonight remains largely dry with patchy cloud and clear skies, although isolated showers are possible in northern Wales, northern England and north-west Scotland, where rain will be blustery.