
As the FTSE hits an all-time high, nine stocks that could soar picked by leading investment advisers - from a booming British High Street star to the bank that's flush with cash
This latest leap forward took gains for the year so far beyond 10 per cent and came after Brexit Britain was branded a trade war winner by analysts.

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The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
Top executives depart Tesla after months of turmoil and sales slump
Top executives have recently departed Tesla after months of turmoil caused by CEO Elon Musk 's stint in politics and a sales slump at the electric car company. Troy Jones, vice president of sales, service and delivery in Tesla's North American market, left the firm after 15 years, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Several other Tesla higher-ups have left the company in the past year. Milan Kovac, a vice president of engineering who oversaw Tesla's development of its humanoid robot Optimus, announced his departure in June. 'This week, I've had to make the most difficult decision of my life and will be moving out of my position. I've been far away from home for too long, and will need to spend more time with family abroad,' Kovac, who had worked at the company for more than nine years, wrote on X at the time. He added: 'I want to make it clear that this is the only reason, and has absolutely nothing to do with anything else. My support for @elonmusk and the team is ironclad - Tesla team forever.' Jenna Ferrura, Tesla's director of human resources for North America, has also left. Bloomberg reported in June, citing people familiar with the matter, Ferrura no longer appeared in the company directory. Omead Afshar, who oversaw sales and manufacturing operations in North America and Europe, has departed the company as well. Forbes reported in June, citing people familiar with the matter, Afshar was fired by Musk after being promoted to his position in October. Bloomberg called Afshar one of Musk's 'closest confidants,' working at the company since 2017. The E-suite shakeups come during a rough few months for Tesla. Musk made waves among a key demographic of EV buyers when he led President Donald Trump 's Department of Government Efficiency. Musk left the White House in late May, and his relationship with Trump quickly soured. There have been protests at Tesla dealerships and even some cases of attacks on property at car showrooms and lots, charging stations and involving privately owned Tesla cars. Against this backdrop, Tesla's global vehicle sales dropped 13.5 percent in the second fiscal quarter of 2025, the Journal reported earlier this month. The company reported worse-than-expected Tesla deliveries. There were 384,122 Tesla vehicles delivered in the second quarter, off the 387,000 estimate from analysts, according to FactSet. Tesla's stock has also significantly decreased over the past six months. The stock was at around $413 per share on January 16, compared to about $308 per share on Tuesday, according to MarketWatch. The company has been trying to entice customers with an updated Model Y midsize SUV and a cheaper version of its Cybertruck. June was a particularly big month for Tesla as the company unveiled new versions of its Model S and Model X luxury cars and launched a pilot of its robotaxi service in Austin.


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Aviation staff need disability training, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson says
Airline and airport staff should be better trained to support disabled passengers, a Government-commissioned review led by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has found. The Paralympian and crossbench peer said the 19 recommendations put forward by her taskforce should be 'turned into action' which puts accessibility 'at the heart of aviation'. The Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group called for disability awareness training to be rolled out across all aviation roles, including airline crew, assistance providers, ground services, security and hospitality staff. It highlighted a need for passengers to access information easily about their travel, including how they can request and book assistance, where they can find in-airport support services, and detailed guidance on how their mobility aids will be transported. The taskforce also called for passengers to be able to find transparent information on complaints procedures. The group will now work to help ensure its proposals are adopted by airlines, airports and regulator the Civil Aviation Authority. Lady Grey-Thompson said: 'This report is the next critical step in making air travel more inclusive for disabled people. 'I'm grateful for the commitment the industry has shown to making change and breaking down barriers in aviation for everyone, bringing freedom to travel, whether for leisure or work, and to connect with friends and family. 'We know there's more work to be done, and I look forward to seeing these recommendations turned into action which truly puts accessibility at the heart of aviation.' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'Everyone should be able to travel with dignity and be respected at every stage of their journeys, including disabled passengers. 'That's why we established this group in November last year, and I welcome this report's findings which will clear the runway for greater accessibility in aviation.' Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, said carriers are 'committed to removing barriers so that flying is accessible to all', and will support the 'implementation of these recommendations'. Karen Dee, boss of industry group AirportsUK, said the report will 'build on the work already being done by airports, and the wider sector, to ensure air travel is accessible to all'. In June, BBC journalist and wheelchair user Frank Gardner was forced to wait 95 minutes for a medical lift so he could leave an aircraft that had arrived at Heathrow's Terminal 5. The airport apologised and said the delay was caused by its assistance provider responding to a medical emergency, which reduced the number of vehicles available.

Western Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Look at increasing Scottish Government borrowing limits, MPs tell UK Government
Currently, the Government is limited to borrowing £600 million for day-to-day spending and £450 million for capital projects. But in a report from the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster on the fiscal arrangements north of the border, MPs pushed for the limits to be increased. The report said: 'At present, the Scottish Government's limited borrowing powers constrain its ability to manage fiscal shocks, as it is only able to borrow for resource purposes to cover forecast errors. We encourage the UK Government to consider reforming the Scottish Government's capital borrowing powers Scottish Affairs Committee report 'Capital borrowing limits are currently linked to, and grow in line with, inflation, which may not necessarily be the highest metric of growth.' It added: 'We agree with the Secretary of State that borrowing limits should be linked to the measure which offers the Scottish Government the highest level of flexibility but, crucially, we note that which metric delivers this remains undetermined. 'The UK Government should therefore publish a transparent analysis of what borrowing limits would look like based on the different metrics advised in the evidence for this inquiry. 'At the next fiscal framework review, we encourage the UK Government to consider reforming the Scottish Government's capital borrowing powers, by automatically coupling borrowing to the metric which offers the highest limit.' The report comes at the end of an inquiry by the committee which sought to gauge the effectiveness of the Barnett Formula – the measure which dictates the level of funding the UK Government sends to Scotland every year. The MPs found the measure was 'fit for purpose', although it is 'imperfect'. Scotland's Finance Secretary reiterated her Government's support for 'full fiscal autonomy' in a written submission to the committee (Jane Barlow/PA) The committee also rejected calls for the formula to shift and provide funding to Scotland based on need. Scotland, the report said, already receives more funding per head than any other country in the UK and a change in the framework could see funding cut. In written evidence to the committee, Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison reiterated the Scottish Government's support for full fiscal autonomy – an arrangement which would see powers over tax and spending devolved. But the committee dismissed such a move as not being a 'realistic prospect'. 'Fundamental questions remain about how full fiscal autonomy would work in practice, and whether it would be operable within the constraints of the UK's current devolution settlement,' the report said. 'Practicality aside, we do not believe that a compelling case has been made that such a change would automatically result in Scotland receiving a higher level of funding.' Ms Robison declined an invitation to appear before the committee, leading the MPs to say 'do not see how we can consider this a serious proposition, and we remain to be convinced that this proposal is desirable in principle, let alone workable in practice'. Responding to the report, Ms Robison said: 'This report rightly recognises that Scotland's finances remain largely dictated by the UK Government's spending decisions, irrespective of the impact on Scottish public services. 'That has meant Scotland has been left with a shortfall of £400 million to pay for the Chancellor's national insurance increase, and saw Scotland short-changed by more than a billion pounds over the next three years at the recent spending review. 'The decisions we have taken to ask higher earners to pay a little bit more – while most income tax payers pay less than in the rest of the UK – mean that we can support vital public services and provide free tuition, prescriptions and the Scottish child payment to help tackle child poverty.' Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: 'The spending review provided the Scottish Government with an extra £9.1 billion, giving them a record settlement. 'People will expect that to deliver better outcomes for Scots – lower NHS waiting lists and better attainment in our schools. 'Spending per head in Scotland is around 20% higher than the rest of the UK thanks to the Barnett formula. This report confirms that it appears to be the position of the Scottish Government to scrap that formula that delivers higher funding – they should explain why they want less money for public services in Scotland. 'Their plans for full fiscal autonomy would mean a £12 billion cut in public spending for Scotland.'