Frasers Group is partnering with Australian footwear and apparel wholesaler Accent Group to launch Sports Direct stores across Australia and New Zealand. Over the course of a 25-year agreement, Frasers Group will target up to 100 locations.

The move is part of Frasers’ international growth strategy and will increase Sports Direct’s total store footprint by around 14%. The rollout will begin with an initial 50-store launch, backed by proceeds from an increase in Accent Group’s stake. Frasers recently lifted its shareholding in the company to 19.57%.

The store network will carry a mix of Frasers-owned labels such as Everlast, Slazenger, and Karrimor alongside global brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour. Accent will lead local operations, leveraging its existing infrastructure and brand relationships to support the expansion.

This marks a deeper integration between the two businesses. Accent also acquired Frasers Group’s MySale marketplace, consolidating Frasers’ retail interests in the region.

Frasers operates more than 500 Sports Direct stores in the UK, 170 in Europe, and 35 in Malaysia. Early investor response was positive, with Frasers shares rising slightly following the announcement.

Over 130 businesses in West Northamptonshire have received direct support through the Growth and Innovation Programme, a 10-month initiative delivered by the University of Bedfordshire and West Northamptonshire Council. Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), the programme was designed to help established businesses adopt new strategies, technologies, and sustainable practices.

The support included tailored consultancy, academic-led student projects, and subsidised graduate placements. More than 30 expert-led workshops, covering topics such as digital transformation, sustainability, and strategic planning, were also held.

A £325,000 grant fund was allocated to 30 selected businesses to help them invest in technology, product development, and operational upgrades to improve their long-term resilience and competitiveness.

The initiative has reinforced the value of collaboration between higher education and local government in providing practical support to the business community.

UK business confidence dropped sharply in the first quarter of the year, driven by rising tax burdens and growing concern over new US tariffs, according to new data from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

The ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor recorded a reading of -3, the weakest level since the final quarter of 2022 and a marked decline from the previous score of 0.2. The fall reflects growing pessimism among UK firms, particularly over increased costs and the global trade outlook.

More than half of surveyed businesses cited tax as a key challenge, with 56% highlighting it as a growing pressure—an all-time high for the index. The April rise in employer National Insurance contributions added to financial strain, alongside increases in energy bills and the national minimum wage.

The introduction of new US tariffs has also heightened trade uncertainty. Although initially announced as sweeping reciprocal measures, the tariffs were scaled back to a 10% baseline for most countries, including the UK. Nonetheless, the policy shift has added to concerns around global trade costs.

Companies also reported weaker expectations for domestic sales growth this year, forecasting the slowest pace since late 2022. This is despite a modest uptick in sales during the first quarter.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) GDP figures showed an unexpected 0.5% rise in February, following a flat January. However, the broader economic environment remains fragile.

The ICAEW noted that businesses are holding back on hiring and training investment to cope with sustained cost pressures, a move likely to impact productivity in the months ahead. The next ONS labour market update is expected on Tuesday, followed by new inflation data on Wednesday.

A new study led by the University of Nottingham and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) lays out a strategic roadmap for decarbonising East Midlands Airport (EMA) and its surrounding transport ecosystem. The work is positioned within the UK’s broader target of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The research combines technical modelling with stakeholder analysis to explore the role of hydrogen and electrification in cutting emissions across aviation, freight, and ground transport linked to the airport. EMA is a critical logistics hub, handling over 370,000 tonnes of cargo and more than four million passengers annually. It generates around £300 million for the regional economy and supports over 6,000 jobs.

The study highlights the need for integrated planning across transport modes and energy systems, recommending coordinated action between logistics providers, local authorities, and energy suppliers. Stakeholder interviews and scenario modelling were used to map the system’s complexity and assess potential adoption paths for green technologies.

Key outputs include 17 recommendations covering infrastructure development, hydrogen production and storage, links to existing hydrogen clusters, and opportunities to attract sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production to the region. The report also points to the potential for EMA to serve as a replicable model for airport decarbonisation globally.