Firms on Golden Triangle Industrial Estate say they have just weeks to go but council says it will work with them

Companies on a Widnes industrial estate claim they have been left high and dry after being told to vacate the site in just a few weeks to make way for housing.

Firms on Golden Triangle Industrial Estate in Halebank say they recently received a solicitor’s letter on behalf of Halton Borough Council giving them until the end of March to pack up.

Some of the firms have been on the site since the early 80s and say they have no idea how they will relocate, stating that they have received no help or support to find new premises. Many fear they will simply have to close down altogether.

Martin Freeman, 55, and wife Shelley have owned Shelley’s Cafe for the last 12 years. He said: “When we first took it on it was a failing business. We fixed it up and worked for nothing to get it going. We know all the other owners and local people come here.”

Mr Freeman says he recently had to go to A&E with a high heart rate and, although awaiting test results, does not know if stress over the couple’s situation was to blame. He added: “We haven’t been offered any help or advice, just told to leave.”

Business on the estate say it is home to between ‘around 30 or 40’ companies encompassing everything from loft insulation to ice cream vans. They estimate collectively the firms all employ around 200 people.

Lorna McGowan has worked at MOT test centre RGN Ltd for 20 years, with her boss Rowland having been there for more than 40. She said: “It’s not just the businesses themselves it’s all the people they employ. I’ve got four years to retirement, where am I going to get another job now?”

Pete Maddison who runs PM Groundworks has been based on the estate for 20 years. He added: “We just want them (the council) to understand that you can’t just turf people out when it’s their livelihood.”

Many of the businesses have written to Widnes and Halewood MP Derek Twigg about the ongoing situation. In a response to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), he said he had contacted Halton Borough Council to ask that it review the situation as ‘a matter of urgency’.

He said: “If businesses are expected to relocate, clearly, they need to be afforded time to do this and so I hope that the council will work proactively with all those affected to allow them to plan ahead. I will continue to press the local authority to keep these businesses at the forefront of any decision making around this issue.”

A Halton Borough Council spokeswoman said the site had been set aside for housing in the borough’s local plan – a strategic long-term planning document – four years ago.

She said phase one of a new housing development, which started on site last year, would deliver 63 affordable and social houses by the end of the year. She added: “The acquisition by Halton Borough Council of the Golden Triangle was intended to maintain momentum and support delivery of the next phase of development.

“The original notices and timescales were issued based on external legal advice; however we understand the uncertainty this process can cause.”

She added: “Our intention has always been to work alongside the businesses to support relocation in a way that minimises disruption. We remain committed to being flexible, and we will work with the businesses to agree a timeframe as we move forward together.”

An outline application was put forward by Halton Borough Council and developer Cityheart late last year for 240 properties on the Golden Triangle Industrial Estate.

It forms phase two of a wider Foundry Lane ‘masterplan’ first unveiled back in 2022, with phase one getting underway in May this year – involving construction of 63 two and three-bed ‘affordable’ homes in partnership with social housing company Plus Dane, to be made available for shared ownership and rent.

Banco Bradesco S.A.’s American depositary receipts have traded in a tight range around $4.11 in late February 2026, closing at $4.11 on February 24 after a 0.98% gain, as the Brazilian lender builds on robust 2025 profitability and a multi-year transformation plan that has lifted return on equity and efficiency metrics.

As of February 24, 2026, Banco Bradesco (NYSE: BBD) traded in a session range of $4.045 to $4.155 with volume of approximately 27.8 million shares. The shares have fluctuated modestly in recent days, closing February 23 at $4.07 after a 2.86% decline, reflecting typical volatility in emerging market financials. Year-to-date in 2026, the stock shows gains following a strong 2025 close, with a 52-week range from approximately $1.93 to $4.28 and market capitalization around $21-22 billion.

The performance follows Bradesco’s fiscal 2025 fourth-quarter and full-year results released February 5, 2026. The bank reported recurring net income of R$6.5 billion ($1.2 billion) for Q4, up 20.6% year-over-year, and full-year recurring net income of R$24.7 billion, a 26.1% increase. Return on average equity reached 15.2% in the quarter, surpassing the bank’s cost of capital for the first time under its five-year transformation plan launched in 2024. The plan has driven credit portfolio expansion of 11%, insurance results growth of 16.1%, and an efficiency ratio improvement toward 50%.

Revenue for Q4 2025 stood at approximately $6.85 billion (R$36.1 billion in local terms), beating estimates by about 6.37%, while EPS of $0.114 met or narrowly missed some forecasts. Net interest income after provisions and fee income contributed strongly, with management emphasizing disciplined risk controls and digital channel expansion that reduced cost-to-serve metrics significantly.

On the earnings call February 6, executives highlighted the transformation’s success in normalizing profitability after prior credit challenges. The bank reaffirmed 2026 guidance for mid-to-high single-digit loan growth (planning point near 9.5%), net interest income after provisions in the R$42-48 billion range, fee income growth of 3-5%, operating expense increases of 6-8%, and insurance/pension growth of 6-8%. The guidance reflects cautious optimism amid Brazil’s economic backdrop, with CET1 targeted near 11% and interest-on-equity payouts exceeding R$15 billion.

Bradesco has pursued shareholder returns aggressively. The board approved a new buyback program and maintained monthly interest-on-equity payments, with recent declarations including R$3 billion interim payouts completed in January 2026. A fully digital shareholders’ meeting is set for March 2026 to address capital and governance matters.

Analysts view the results positively, with consensus leaning toward Buy or Hold. Average 12-month price targets hover around $4.00-$4.50, implying limited near-term upside from current levels but recognition of undervaluation relative to peers like Itaú Unibanco. Seeking Alpha commentary in February 2026 described Bradesco’s re-rating case as “still alive,” citing controlled risk, growing profitability, and potential for further multiple expansion as transformation benefits accrue.

The bank continues digital investments, including enhanced platforms and partnerships in tech and health sectors, to capture affluent and SME clients while optimizing its physical footprint. Operating expenses grew 8.5% in 2025 in line with expectations, supported by footprint rationalization.

Challenges include macro risks in Brazil—interest rates, inflation, and potential slowdowns—along with competition in retail and digital banking. Guidance appears conservative compared to some investor expectations, contributing to post-earnings share price pressure in early February.

The next earnings report, for Q1 2026, is expected around late April or early May 2026. Investors will monitor loan portfolio execution, margin trends, and any refinements to full-year guidance amid evolving economic conditions.

Banco Bradesco, one of Brazil’s largest private banks, maintains a strong franchise through its retail network, insurance operations, and digital advancements. Record profitability, elevated ROE, and disciplined capital management position it well for sustained performance in 2026, even as guidance signals measured expansion. With shares trading at attractive multiples and transformation gains materializing, Bradesco remains a key play on Brazil’s financial recovery and banking sector resilience.

Discord users have made themselves heard as the company has announced that it will postpone the implementation of its global age checks.

These will be implemented sometime in the second half of 2026.

Discord Delays Age Verification Checks

In a blog post shared on Discord’s website, Discord Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy addressed the planned age verification process.

“Let me be upfront: we knew this rollout was going to be controversial. Any time you introduce something that touches identity and verification, people are going to have strong feelings. Rightfully so,” Vishnevskiy said in the blog post. “In hindsight, we should have provided more detail about our intentions and how the process works.”

“The way this landed, many of you walked away thinking we’re requiring face scans and ID uploads from everyone just to use Discord,” he added. “That’s not what’s happening, but the fact that so many people believe it tells us we failed at our most basic job: clearly explaining what we’re doing and why. That’s on us.”

According to Gizmodo, Discord previously announced that it was planning to set all new and existing accounts to “teen-by-default” settings.

What this means is that any user looking to access age-restricted content and features must need to prove that they are adults.

Vishnevskiy Clarifies Age Checks

Vishnevskiy emphasized in the blog post that Discord does not want to change the experience for majority of the users. He also stressed that a user’s age group is private, and other users cannot see it.

“Over 90% of users will never need to verify their age to continue using Discord exactly as they do today,” he said.

The Discord co-founder also explained that for users who will find themselves needing to prove their age, these users will get different options on how to go about it. He assured that none of these options will require users to provide their identity.

“And if you choose not to verify, here’s exactly what happens: you keep your account, your servers, your friends list, your DMs, and voice chat,” Vishnevskiy explained. “The only thing that changes is you won’t be able to access age-restricted content or change certain default safety settings designed to protect teens.”

Originally published on Tech Times

Mumbai: Expenditure through credit cards moderated in January from a December festival-ledhigh, central bank data showed, although the metric still climbed more than 8% from a high January 2025 base to indicate normalization of the growth rate that had breached into teens earlier.

In January, Indians spent Rs 1.99 lakh crore through credit lines offered by their banks, down from Rs 2.05 lakh crore in the previous month, but higher than the Rs 1.82 lakh crore they had spent last January.

“Credit card spending growth moderated in January, marking a natural cooldown after the festive surge,” said Sweta Padhi, analyst, IDBI Capital. “Industrywide growth has slowed from the midteen levels seen last year, with the festive spike reverting to the 8% range and yet to see a meaningful revival.”

The number of active cards rose to 116.6 million, while net new additions slowed to 868,000, compared with more than 900,000 in December 2025. The slower pace of additions reflects tighter underwriting standards and regulatory discipline. Large private banks, however, remained the key contributors to incremental card additions.

RATHER CIRCUMSPECT
“The broader deceleration in card additions reflects tighter underwriting norms and regulatory caution around unsecured lending,” Padhi said. “While near-term momentum appears steady rather than weakening, we expect growth to remain calibrated, with issuers focusing on portfolio quality, activation levels and fee-based income rather than aggressive expansion.”
Among individual issuers, HDFC Bank added 310,000 cards, while ICICI Bank added 122,000. SBI Cards added 92,226 cards and Axis Bank added 87,912. Kotak Mahindra Bank, which has been gradually reviving its credit card business, added 35,968 cards. IndusInd Bank, however, continued to see a rundown in its card base, with total net cards declining by more than 100,000.
“Our credit card business is currently stalled and we are cautious, as system-wide risks remain elevated,” Rajiv Anand, MD & CEO, IndusInd Bank, told ET in a recent interview.

“We have recently hired a new head of credit cards to re-evaluate the portfolio from both customer and product perspectives. We intend to reignite the business once our systems and processes are fully stabilised. Once we get things right, we will grow that business again.”

Transaction volumes remained flat sequentially but recorded a robust 25% YoY growth, indicating resilient usage trends despite moderation in overall spends. While private sector banks continue to dominate market share and remain relatively risk-averse, public-sector banks (PSBs) are gradually expanding their share of credit card spending. This growth has been driven by higher usage among existing cardholders, strong festive demand and deeper penetration into salaried customer segments. The share of PSBs in credit card spending increased 4.5 percentage points year-on-year to 22.2% in December 2025, according to RBI data, largely led by major lenders.