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Max鈥檚 global expansion includes launches in the UK and Ireland (Q2 2026) and Germany and Italy (Q1 2026). Live sports and CNN content will remain free for standard and premium subscribers on Max, though they will be removed from the ad-supported tier on March 30.

UK-based health and beauty retailer Boots. It had been in talks to be sold multiple times over the past few years. What a sale-and-split means for Walgreens鈥� future: A take-private sale could alleviate some of the pressure that Walgreens has been dealing with over the past few years. Not having to meet shareholders鈥� expectations would allow executives to focus on reorganizing the new business units.

Wayfair plans to reinvest savings from the restructuring across several key initiatives, including investing in its remaining international markets鈥擟anada, the UK, and Ireland鈥攁nd doubling down on physical retail. Since the retailer opened its first physical store last year outside Chicago, online sales to customers who live near the store have increased.

27% of UK and US adults plan to start buying holiday gifts as early as October, according to an April 2024 survey from Salsify.

The news: HSBC is shutting down key parts of its investment banking operations in the UK, US, and Europe as part of CEO Georges Elhedery鈥檚 broader restructuring plan, per The Financial Times. The exact timeline for the closure of these units has not been specified, but the process is expected to unfold over the coming months.

鈥淪everance鈥� is topping viewership charts globally, highlighting the significance of creating content that resonates in international markets, such as the US, UK, Brazil, and Australia. The broader strategy: The focus on Apple TV+ is part of a larger services pivot by its parent company.

However, 62% of US and UK adults say they are likely to buy a product via AI-powered virtual shopping assistants if it helps them find exactly what they want, according to November 2024 data from Arlington Research and Coveo. What it means: Consumers want exclusive perks more than futuristic tech鈥攗nless that tech, like AI assistants, clearly improves the shopping experience.

The survey was conducted in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the UK, and the US, with approximately 1,000 respondents per country.

TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest are popular shopping destinations, too, with TikTok being the top social shopping platform in the UK. While China leads in social commerce adoption, other markets are catching up fast. "It's interesting to see how social media is evolving from being a discovery channel to a full-fledged commerce platform," said Perkins. Price matters most, but trust is important, too.

The standalone business will be based in Amsterdam, with secondary listings in the UK and US. Looking ahead: After market growth slowed throughout last year, the company offered a tepid 2025 sales growth target of 3% to 5%, saying it expects several markets to remain soft throughout the first half.

The UK leads in VC investments, followed by France, Germany, and the Nordics. Now government-led initiatives are setting the stage for wider AI expansion. France鈥檚 AI project includes backing from the UAE, US and Canadian investors, plus telecom companies Iliad, Orange, and Thales.

Key stat: Marketers are actively using emerging social platforms. 82% are either already posting on or planning to build a presence on Bluesky, while 80% of marketers are either posting on or planning to build a presence on Threads, according to a Sprout Social survey of marketers in the US, UK, and Australia.

Some 94% of consumers across the US, UK, and Canada prefer contextual ads over identity-based ads based on browsing history, per GumGum survey data. Almost 80% are more likely to engage with ads that match the content they are viewing, per the survey.

A lack of relevant training data was the most cited (30.3%) roadblock to genAI adoption among US and UK banks and insurers, per an August 2023 FintechOS survey. Without rich and varied data sets, genAI systems cannot learn or deliver value. Banks have vast troves of customer and operational data, so this concern points to an issue of data storage and access rather than prevalence.