‘We’ve also welcomed Neil Stephenson as Chairman of the business, he is a highly experienced and respected businessman’

New jobs are set to be created at a Tyneside online learning specialist fuelled by a seven-figure investment. Gateshead based National Learning Group provides one-to-one tutoring to helping students to excel in their studies, covering all age ranges from reception to adult learners , helping with exam preparation for GCSEs and A-Levels as well as adult skills training.

Now the business is set to ramp up operations and create new jobs after receiving a seven-figure investment from the North East Elevate Fund which is managed by FW Capital. The firm, which has recently located to a new office in Gateshead and has a registered office in Hexham, has tutoring which covers national and international educational boards, and enrols 4,000 students a year with a network of over 350 tutors.

The new funding will enable bosses to invest in infrastructure, including the development of their own proprietary software. It is also strengthening its senior management team with key appointments including Neil Stephenson as chairman.

It is also backing the development of a high-quality Alternative Provision Centre which will provide facilities for children who are unable to attend mainstream schools, and aid expansion into more commercial education opportunities.

The investment comes via the North East Elevate Fund, which is part of the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ £100m regional investment framework administered by The North East Fund. Along with both the North East Accelerate and North East Spinout Inspire funds, it aims to strengthen access to early-stage finance for start up, scale up and growing companies in North East England, and tackle long-standing market failures that have hampered innovation-led growth in the region.

FW Capital was introduced to The National Learning Group by Armstrong Watson.

Oliver Batten, managing director at National Learning Group said: “We’re experiencing significant growth and this funding is helping us to expand our presence. The addition of a new alternative provision educational centre means we can meet the increased demand for accessible high-quality tuition.

“We’ve been very pleased with the backing from FW Capital who have recognised our potential and are excited to have an investor on board who is aligned to our vision. Keith Charlton and the team at FW Capital couldn’t have been more supportive, they were patient and ensured we got the funding quickly. That speed and understanding allowed us to move from the planning phase to being fully operational without losing any momentum.

“We’ve also welcomed Neil Stephenson as chairman of the business, he is a highly experienced and respected businessman who will make a great impact at The National Learning Group. I’m looking forward to working together to take the business to the next level of growth.”

Keith Charlton, fund manager at FW Capital, said: “There is a clear and growing demand for high-quality online tutoring, and the National Learning Group team has shown they have the vision to meet it. We’re proud to fund this next chapter, strengthening senior management and launching the new educational centre, to help drive both economic opportunity and educational excellence.”

David Wilson, corporate finance partner at Armstrong Watson, said: “Oliver and the team at National Learning Group are a valued client of Armstrong Watson and they have managed to build a strong, highly credible business which is growing at an exceptional rate. It was clear during the investment process that FW Capital were very much aligned with the business and their aspirations and goals, and I look forward to following Oliver and the teams progress on the back of this significant investment.”

Neil Stephenson, chairman, said: “I’m an active tech investor with vast experience of scaling businesses rapidly and working alongside institutional funders. My commercial and marketing expertise alongside the vast executive experience I have makes me a good fit. I was attracted to the opportunity to work in a business which makes a positive impact to young people’s lives and to support a fabulous chief exec as he personally and professionally grows.”

Andy Burnham chose Manchester for the defining image of his new premiership this week, opening a temporary “No10 North” and telling staff it might be “the best day of my life”.

For the small and medium-sized firms that make up the bulk of the northern economy, the sharper question is what a prime minister based part of the week outside London actually changes, and when.

On timing, the honest answer is: not soon. Construction has not started on the five-acre former retail park earmarked as the permanent base, and the Treasury only approved the outline case for the Manchester civil service campus in March. The 900,000 square foot site, intended to house around 8,800 civil servants, is not targeted to open until 2032, three years after the latest possible date for the next general election.

In the meantime, Mr Burnham is working from Heron House, an existing government building in the city centre that is also used by GCHQ and, as it happens, hosts a pub. Security has been stepped up sharply and workers have been sprucing up nearby Albert Square.

He was unrepentant about the cost, having flown in by government jet from the Commonwealth Games opening in Scotland. “What does it cost for everybody to troop down to London every time there’s a meeting when you need to make an argument about something?” he said.

Downing Street insists there is no extra bill for taxpayers. “The running of No10 North will be covered by existing Cabinet Office budgets. There is no additional cost to taxpayers,” a spokesman said, adding that staff are “already working in the new No10 North”. Experts are less sure, warning that fortifying an office for the PM and providing round-the-clock armed police will not come cheap.

Why it matters for business owners

Strip away the symbolism and there is a real prize for regional firms. A civil service campus of that scale, part of the government’s Places for Growth programme, means construction contracts, supply-chain work and a concentration of Whitehall decision-makers on northern doorsteps rather than 200 miles away. For firms that have spent years travelling south to be heard, proximity has a value.

The bigger shift is political. Mr Burnham is using No10 North as a symbol of his drive to move power out of Westminster, an agenda that runs alongside the fiscal devolution the Treasury has called its “unfinished business”. If decisions on skills, transport and local taxation move closer to businesses, the firms that engage early with their mayoral authorities stand to gain most.

The risk is uneven benefit. Analysts have warned that Mr Burnham could preside over a two-tier England in which a firm’s prospects depend on whether it sits inside a mayor’s boundary. That echoes a wider pattern in which regional SMEs already miss out on the support and networks their London peers take for granted.

Mr Burnham framed the project in personal terms, recalling leaving the city as a graduate who “couldn’t find a job”. His contention that “opportunity has not been evenly spread around the country” is borne out by ONS data on regional productivity, which shows London still far ahead of every other part of the UK. No10 North, he said, was about “putting power in every postcode so that people can turn things around for themselves and make changes just as this great city has done”.

The government points out it already has around 80,000 civil servants in the North West, “with around 700 roles moved from London to Manchester last year”. For SME owners, the test is not the ribbon-cutting but whether devolved power and public spending reach their postcode before 2032.

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Statistics Jersey said pensioners were particularly affected by heating fuel costs, which played a larger role in the pensioners’ inflation measure.

Meanwhile, overall inflation edged up from 2.7% in March to 2.8% in June. Jersey’s headline rate was the same as the UK’s CPIH measure of inflation over the same period.

The report found household services made the largest contribution to inflation overall.

Prices in the category increased by 5.6% and contributed 0.6 percentage points to the island’s annual inflation rate.

Food prices also continued to increase, rising by 3.5% over the year and contributing 0.4 percentage points to the overall inflation figure.

Within the category, lamb prices increased by 12.7%, milk products rose by 11.8% and eggs were up 8.7%.

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Shares of Motilal Oswal Financial Services crashed more than 7% on Friday after the domestic brokerage reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,273 crore for the April-June quarter of FY27, marking a nearly 10% year-on-rise from the Rs 1,162 crore reported in the same period last year.

The shares of the company dropped to Rs 872 apiece on Friday, after the release of Q1 results post market hours on Thursday. Its revenue from operations, meanwhile, jumped more than 25% YoY to Rs 3,426 crore during the quarter under review, compared to Rs 2,738 crore reported in the year-ago period. Total expenses surged around 42% YoY to Rs 1,898 crore in the first quarter of FY27.

Motilal Oswal said it recorded its highest ever operating profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 1,513 crore in Q1, marking a 14% YoY rise, driven by a strong 73% surge in its asset management business’ profit to Rs 245 crore. The segment is now the largest contributor to the firm’s overall PAT at 40%. Total assets under management (AUM) increased 31% YoY to Rs 2.12 lakh crore.

Private wealth management segment saw a 42% YoY rise in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) to Rs 157 crore, while AUM grew 37%. “MOFSL’s 10-year track record of 33% Operating PAT CAGR, Earnings Per Share (EPS) CAGR of 28% and average Return on Equity (ROE) of 23% has been delivered entirely through internal accruals with no dilution. During the same period, Net Worth CAGR is 25% after 3 buybacks and consistent dividend payouts, entirely through internal accruals,” the company said.

Also Read | Motilal Oswal Q1 Results: Net profit rises 10% YoY to Rs 1,273 crore; revenue climbs 25%

Motilal Oswal highlighted that it has delivered 28% net worth CAGR over the past six years. The company’s wealth management segment saw a strong ascent on growing annuity streams – ARR revenue grew by 26% on YoY basis to Rs 304 crore, while loan book grew by 33% YoY to Rs 7,388 crore.
“Crisil upgraded our long-term credit rating to AA+ Stable. This reflects the strength of our franchise and the resilience of our business model which are designed to deliver sustainable growth across market cycles. Focus on annuity revenues have led to a contribution of 66%, improving quality and predictability of business,” the company further said.

Motilal Oswal share price

The company’s shares have fallen over 2% in one week but gained over 1% in one month to close at Rs 940 apiece on Thursday. The stock is overall up more than 12% in 2026 so far.In the longer term, Motilal Oswal shares delivered 4% returns over one year, 409% over three years and 258% over five years. The company has a market capitalisation of more than Rs 56,878 crore.

Also Read | Dividend alert! Last day to buy Wipro, DLF, Persistent Systems among 12 stocks for dividend rewards. Do you own any?

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

President Trump’s Truth Social is selling stock market traders superfast access to his posts on the platform. Wall Street was already in on that game.

Many big investment firms have developed automated systems to monitor Truth Social, detect important keywords and take action—often within a fraction of a second—such as initiating or canceling positions, traders said. 

Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

EMPORIA, Kan. — A period of steady rainfall across the Emporia area this week is expected to give way quickly to dangerous heat, with the National Weather Service issuing an extreme heat watch beginning Saturday afternoon and lasting through Tuesday evening across five east-central Kansas counties.

Rainfall totals across the region generally ranged from a half-inch to a full inch Thursday, according to figures compiled by KVOE, with additional showers and storms expected through midafternoon Friday potentially adding another half-inch to three-quarters of an inch before chances for precipitation fade heading into the weekend.

Rainfall totals across the area

Measurements collected from monitoring points around Emporia showed notable variation across the city and surrounding communities. The KVOE studios recorded 0.90 inches of rain, while the Emporia Municipal Airport logged 0.69 inches. Other local readings included 1 inch at 9th and Burns, 0.80 inches at 10th and Weaver, 0.95 inches at 18th and Briarcliff, and 1.20 inches at South and Sylvan, the highest total reported. The 1100 block of Constitution Street recorded 0.90 inches, Country Club Heights measured 0.95 inches, Neosho Rapids logged a full inch, and the Olpe Blacksmith Shop recorded 0.70 inches.

A quick turn toward dangerous heat

Just days after cooler, wetter conditions moved through the region, forecasters say the heat that gripped the area last weekend and into earlier this week is set to return with renewed intensity. Air temperatures in the low 90s are expected Saturday, with heat index readings, factoring in humidity, potentially reaching as high as 106 degrees given dew points forecast in the mid- to upper 70s.

The heat is expected to intensify further into Sunday and Monday, with high temperatures forecast in the upper 90s to around 100 degrees and heat index readings possibly climbing as high as 105 degrees on those days. Tuesday is expected to bring slightly less extreme conditions, with highs in the mid-90s and heat index values as high as 102 degrees.

The extreme heat watch

In response to those forecasts, the National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat watch running from 1 p.m. Saturday through 7 p.m. Tuesday. The watch currently covers Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties in east-central Kansas.

The upcoming stretch of dangerous heat is part of a broader pattern that has affected much of Kansas and the surrounding region throughout the summer. The National Weather Service has issued multiple extreme heat warnings and watches across northeast and central Kansas since late June, including alerts covering the Kansas City metro area and portions of western Missouri, reflecting a persistent pattern of high heat and humidity settling over the region for extended stretches this season.

Safety guidance from officials

With the watch now in effect, local officials are urging residents to begin preparing before the heat arrives rather than waiting until conditions worsen. Specifically, residents are advised to begin drinking extra water starting Friday, ahead of the heat’s return over the weekend.

Once the extreme heat sets in, officials recommend a familiar set of precautions: wearing lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, moving strenuous outdoor activities to early morning or evening hours when temperatures are comparatively lower, and taking frequent breaks in air conditioning or shaded areas throughout the day.

Officials also emphasized the importance of checking on elderly neighbors during periods of extreme heat, given their heightened vulnerability to heat-related illness, and reiterated a standard but critical warning: never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, even briefly, while running errands during hot weather.

Why heat index matters

The heat index, often described as how hot the weather actually feels to the human body, factors in both air temperature and relative humidity to estimate the effective temperature experienced outdoors. Because higher humidity limits the body’s ability to cool itself through sweat evaporation, heat index values can significantly exceed the actual air temperature during periods of high humidity, a pattern reflected in this weekend’s forecast, where air temperatures in the low 90s are expected to produce heat index readings well over 100 degrees.

Extended periods of extreme heat, particularly when overnight low temperatures remain elevated and provide little relief, are associated with a heightened risk of heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, conditions that can become life-threatening without prompt intervention, especially among older adults, young children, outdoor workers and individuals with certain underlying health conditions.

A pattern repeating across the region

This weekend’s forecast heat watch follows a similar stretch of dangerous conditions that affected the broader Kansas and Missouri region earlier this month, including an extreme heat warning issued for the Kansas City metro area beginning July 19 and lasting through Thursday, July 24, with heat index values reaching as high as 102 degrees during that stretch. Statewide, forecasters have tracked several distinct waves of extreme heat since the beginning of summer, punctuated by brief periods of cooler, stormier weather like the rain that moved through the Emporia area this week.

With the extreme heat watch set to take effect Saturday afternoon, forecasters say the window between now and then offers residents a limited but useful opportunity to prepare, both by staying hydrated ahead of the heat’s arrival and by making plans to limit outdoor exposure once temperatures and humidity climb to their expected peak early next week.

Shares of InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo, dropped nearly 3% on Friday after the airline reported a net loss of Rs 238 crore for the first quarter of FY27, compared to a net profit of Rs 2,176 crore in the same period last year. This loss was due to surging fuel costs stemming from the Middle East conflict.

The shares of the company tumbled to Rs 4,886 apiece on NSE on Friday morning, after the airline released its Q1 results on Thursday. Revenue from operations rose 20% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 24,584 crore in Q1 FY27 from Rs 20,496 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.

However, operating costs outpaced revenue growth, with total expenses surging 34% YoY to Rs 25,853 crore. The sharp rise was largely driven by an 86% YoY jump in aircraft fuel expenses to Rs 10,833 crore, significantly increasing cost pressures despite robust demand and higher revenue.

Operating metrics

IndiGo’s cost per available seat kilometre (CASK) rose to Rs 5.71 in Q1 FY27 from Rs 4.31 a year ago, reflecting higher operating costs. CASK excluding fuel also increased to Rs 3.22 from Rs 2.93.

On the positive side, yield improved to Rs 6.04 from Rs 4.98, while revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) climbed 16.5% YoY to Rs 5.66, indicating healthy pricing power and sustained demand.

Citi on IndiGo share price

Citi maintained its ‘Buy’ rating on IndiGo and raised its target price to Rs 5,800 from Rs 5,100, implying an upside potential of 15.5% from the stock’s previous closing price of Rs 5,023.50.

The brokerage noted that IndiGo’s Q1 earnings missed its estimates at both the operating profit and net profit levels, primarily due to fuel cost inflation being significantly higher than expected, ET Now reported.
However, Citi said strong yields remained the key positive during the quarter. It added that the management’s guidance points to further improvement in pricing, backed by a focus on fleet efficiency, route rationalisation and cost control. While fuel price volatility remains a key risk, the brokerage believes IndiGo’s pricing power and market share gains continue to support its long-term outlook.
Also read | IndiGo Q1 Results: Airline reports Rs 238 crore loss vs profit YoY; revenue rises 20%

Nuvama on IndiGo share price

Nuvama maintained its ‘Buy’ rating on IndiGo and raised its target price to Rs 5,583 from Rs 5,335, implying an upside potential of more than 11%.
The brokerage said IndiGo’s Q1 EBITDA missed estimates due to elevated fuel costs, although the impact was partly offset by a robust 21% YoY increase in yields.

However, Nuvama cautioned that the seasonally weak second quarter could be even softer due to higher aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices. It cut its FY27 and FY28 earnings estimates to factor in the higher fuel costs, but believes IndiGo is well positioned to turn near-term headwinds into long-term opportunities by replicating its successful domestic strategy in international markets, where spreads are more attractive as India emerges as a global aviation hub.

JM Financial on IndiGo share price

JM Financial maintained its ‘Add’ rating but lowered its target price to Rs 5,630 from Rs 5,800, implying an upside potential of around 12% from the stock’s previous closing price.

The brokerage noted that IndiGo’s reported loss was significantly below its estimate of a Rs 660 crore profit, mainly due to an unprecedented 86% YoY surge in fuel costs and elevated supplementary lease expenses.

“The key positive from the earnings call was management’s willingness to prioritise yields over growth. Capacity growth has remained moderate to flat in Q2 FY27 and is expected to stay in the single digits for FY27, signalling continued supply discipline amid robust industry demand,” JM Financial said.

The brokerage highlighted management’s guidance for more than 25% YoY growth in passenger revenue per available seat kilometre (PRASK) in Q2 FY27, reflecting a healthy demand-supply balance. It also noted that aircraft utilisation in the region has recovered to over 90% as Middle East operations normalise, supporting a gradual recovery in earnings once fuel cost pressures ease.

While higher ex-fuel CASK and geopolitical uncertainties could weigh on near-term earnings, JM Financial believes IndiGo’s structural earnings story remains intact. It continues to view the airline as one of the highest-quality aviation franchises globally, citing its dominant market share, disciplined capacity deployment, low-cost structure and multi-year international expansion opportunity.

IndiGo share price

IndiGo shares fell more than 4% over the past week and over 3% in the past month to close at Rs 5,023.50 on Thursday. The stock is down around 2% so far in 2026.

Over the longer term, the stock has declined 14% over the past year but has delivered returns of 88% over three years and 191% over five years.

Also read |Rekha Jhunjhunwala sells over 7 crore Star Health shares in Q1. Details here

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