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Investing used to be seen as something that was for older people in suits, but now more young people are getting into it, thanks to the rise in online investing apps that have made it more accessible, and a growing awareness of how stocks and shares work.

But data suggests that despite being less likely to start investing, women often make higher returns than men when they do. So, why are women often better at investing? And how does it work?

BBC business reporter Emer Moreau unpacks the data on how women and men invest differently, what investing is and why it can be risky. We also chat to Viktoriia and Gabriella, two women in their 20s, about why they started investing and how they are finding it.

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Smaller firms struggled to clinch new orders, with rising energy costs and economic uncertainty adding to the pressure, according to a survey

The manufacturing sector saw a slight deceleration in growth during August as smaller businesses found it harder to secure new orders.

S&P Global researchers indicated that manufacturing sector growth moderated in August, with the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) reading falling from 51.9 in July to 51.7.

The figure still sits above the neutral 50 threshold, signalling that activity has expanded. The sector’s PMI has now recorded positive growth for 10 consecutive months following a period in 2025 when output had contracted.

Rob Dobson, director at S&P Global, said there were “still signs for continued optimism” as business confidence climbed to a six-month peak.

Employment growth also reached its strongest level in two years, offering a positive signal amid a challenging jobs landscape nationwide, as reported by City AM.

“This suggests that the slowdown [in the PMI] was mainly driven by a reduced focus on maintaining precautionary stocks as economic uncertainty eases, especially as domestic and overseas clients continue to show a willingness to spend albeit with a relatively high degree of caution,” Robson said.

The uptick in staffing levels was attributed to increased order intakes and attempts to work through backlogs, according to researchers.

That said, larger manufacturers fared better, while smaller producers witnessed declines in both output and new order intakes.

Cara Haffey, who leads the industrials division at PwC UK, said businesses would be far more preoccupied with ensuring that a recent run of positive results can be sustained.

She said keeping energy costs low and capitalising on improved demand would be “critical” for the future of the sector.

“As the government considers its priorities, the focus for many businesses will be on how quickly policy commitments translate into lower costs, greater certainty and stronger incentives for investment,” Haffey said.

Matt Swannell, chief economic adviser to the ITEM Club, cautioned that rising energy prices would still filter through into higher business costs.

“We expect the rest of this year to be difficult for the manufacturing sector,” Swannell said. “The conflict in the Middle East is the main wildcard in this regard, and it remains a key source of uncertainty for business.”