China’s economic growth slows amid Trump tariff war and property woes

China’s economy grew at its slowest pace in a year in the latest quarter amid a trade war with the US and long-running woes in its property market.Fragile domestic demand has left China’s economy heavily reliant on manufacturing and trade, at a time of mounting tensions with the Donald Trump administration.GDP rose by 4.8% year on year between July and September, down from the second-quarter growth rate of 5.2%

Gucci owner Kering to sell beauty division to L’Oréal for €4bn

The Gucci owner, Kering, is selling its beauty division to L’Oréal for €4bn (£3.5bn), as its new chief executive, Luca de Meo, seeks to turn around the French luxury company.The deal will give the French beauty group L’Oréal Kering’s fragrance line Creed, which was founded in 1760. The deal also includes rights to develop fragrance and beauty products under Kering’s fashion labels Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga under a 50-year exclusive licence.In a significant shift in strategy, de Meo is trying to reduce Kering’s debt burden and refocus on its core fashion business

B&M ousts finance chief as it warns again on profits after £7m accounts error

The discount retailer B&M has ousted its finance chief after reporting a £7m accounts blunder that will cut its annual earnings – its second profit warning within two weeks.The company told investors it looking for a successor to Mike Schmidt, who is stepping down as chief financial officer, after the accounting error.The company, which sells things ranging from DIY, electricals and garden products to toys, pet food and everyday essentials, discovered that £7m of overseas freight costs were not “correctly recognised in cost of goods sold,” after an update to its operating system earlier this year.This means that adjusted profits for the year to March 2026 are now expected to be between £470m and £520m, down from its previous estimate of between £510m and £560m. For the first half, B&M expects profits of £191m, down from £198m

What’s gone wrong at WPP? The crown slips at world’s biggest advertising group

A dark joke is doing the rounds in adland that the original Wire and Plastic Products, the small Kent-based basketmaker that Martin Sorrell bought 40 years ago as a stock market-listed vehicle to build WPP, might outlast the advertising giant itself. Now named Delfinware, and a maker of dish drainers with 10 employees, the business is 56 years old and privately held, while the listed global ads group that was once its parent struggles amid a changing corporate landscape.For decades the financial success and dominance of WPP – its 100,000 employees service global clients from Ford to Coca-Cola – has been the corporate manifestation of Britain’s shining reputation for creative advertising.WPP has housed some of the most prestigious agency networks – from J Walter Thompson to Young & Rubicam – producing globally resonant campaigns such as Dove’s Real Beauty, which challenged stereotypical portrayals of women.Among WPP’s greatest hits are the unlikely pairing of the Sex Pistol John Lydon with Country Life butter, and decades of work for Coca-Cola, including Ogilvy convincing the company to replace its logo on bottles with personal names – a global phenomenon still on shelves 12 years later

Experiential entertainment is having a gold rush but commercial success is far from certain

When the first ever stage adaptation of the global book and film franchise The Hunger Games opens its doors in London next week, fans paying up to £200 have been promised an “electrifying” and “immersive” experience.The show at the purpose-built 1,200 seat Troubadour in Canary Wharf, which features Hollywood A-lister John Malkovich appearing via screen as the evil President Snow who oversees the televised spectacle of teenagers fighting to the death, is the latest in an explosion of launches looking to cash in on a boom in consumer demand for experiential entertainment, often linked to bankable franchises.The boom in the market for experimental, unusual nights out and shows is well established, from escape rooms, axe throwing and slumber parties to Secret Cinema’s Olympic Park takeover to recreate the setting for Back to the Future and the hugely successful Abba Voyage. Recent pop-ups include experiences linked to Minecraft, Jurassic World and Squid Game.As big money has rolled into the sector, so too has a desire from companies to rely on solid gold intellectual property to bring in the crowds – with mixed results

French theme park firm won UK government support despite far-right ties

A French business that is planning to build a vast £600m historical theme park in rural Oxfordshire won help for its plans from the previous government despite its founding family’s ties to the far right and past praise of Vladimir Putin.Correspondence obtained under freedom of information (FoI) laws showed the Conservative peer Dominic Johnson, a business and trade minister in Rishi Sunak’s government, promised to “assist” Puy du Fou – one of France’s most popular theme parks – in finding a UK site.An unnamed UK official later said departmental staff based in France would be available to provide more help, while the company later described the government as having been “very supportive” of its plans.The company subsequently unveiled proposals to build mock medieval castles, hotels and restaurants on farmland near the M40 in Oxfordshire.The project has proved controversial, partly owing to objections from local people based on concerns about traffic, the demand on local water supplies and the potential environmental impact