Disney and Pixar have a genuine hit on their hands. Toy Story 5 has taken more than $312m (£236m) at the global box office in its first three days, the strongest opening weekend in the history of the animated franchise and a much-needed shot in the arm for a studio that has endured a bumpy few years.

Released on 19 June, the fifth chapter in the Toy Story saga reunites Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear, only this time their fiercest rival is not a rival toy but a tablet computer. The premise has clearly landed with families: audiences handed the film a coveted “A” CinemaScore, and the numbers followed.

The opening split roughly $160m in North America and around $152m across international markets, according to figures reported by Variety. That makes it the second-biggest global launch of the year so far, behind only The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which remains 2026’s highest-grossing release with takings north of $1bn.

For the business behind the toys, the result carries real weight. With a production budget estimated at $250m, Toy Story 5 needs to earn at least double that figure to cover marketing and distribution costs before it moves into profit. On the evidence of the opening weekend, that looks comfortably achievable.

Pixar has form here. The studio’s films have historically recouped their budgets, often several times over, with a number of titles taking three times what they cost to make and promote. Sequels in particular have been reliable earners: The Incredibles 2 and Inside Out 2 both sailed past the $1bn mark, as did the third and fourth Toy Story instalments.

The win is all the more important given the run that preceded it. Recent Pixar and Disney releases such as the alien adventure Elio and the Toy Story spin-off Lightyear underperformed sharply, while The Mandalorian and Grogu, the studio’s latest big-budget Star Wars outing, has yet to double its $165m cost. A franchise-best opening helps steady the ship, and it follows a wider recovery for Disney’s UK business as its theatrical and streaming arms have found firmer footing.

The result lands against a challenging industry picture. Overall box office revenues have fallen since the Covid-19 pandemic, as studios have struggled to coax audiences back into cinemas and viewing habits have shifted towards streaming platforms. The pressure has been felt most acutely by big-budget blockbusters, many of which have stumbled despite heavy marketing spend, and the squeeze on household budgets has prompted some viewers to trim their streaming subscriptions altogether.

Against that backdrop, a tentpole release that overperforms is exactly the kind of result distributors and exhibitors have been waiting for, much as the trade is hoping a strong summer slate, including Apple’s heavily promoted F1 motor-racing feature, can keep momentum going.

Toy Story remains one of Pixar’s most lucrative properties, having generated more than $3bn at the global box office since Woody and Buzz first arrived on screen in 1995. The original film, set in a world where toys spring to life when no one is watching, transformed the use of computer-generated imagery and propelled Pixar into the front rank of animation studios.

This latest opening, which Deadline had flagged as a likely franchise and year-to-date record before release, suggests the appetite for the series has not dimmed. After a difficult stretch, Disney and Pixar will hope it marks the moment the magic came back.

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The ink is barely dry on Andy Burnham’s by-election victory and Britain’s small business community is already braced for what comes next.

Exclusive research shared with Business Matters reveals that the overwhelming majority of the country’s small and medium-sized enterprise owners are fearful about what the Greater Manchester mayor’s arrival in Westminster, and his widely tipped run at Number 10, could mean for their firms.

The study, conducted by Trends Research, surveyed 2,000 SME owners in the days since Burnham swept to victory at Makerfield last Thursday. More than 80% told researchers they were fearful about the implications for their business, a striking figure in a sector that accounts for more than 5.5 million firms and over 99% of the UK business population.

Burnham took the seat with almost 55% of the vote, seeing off Reform UK and handing himself the Commons platform that, under Labour rules, allows him to mount a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer. The mechanics of how a sitting metro mayor can also serve as an MP have been picked over in detail by the House of Commons Library, but for many business owners the constitutional fine print matters less than the policy direction it signals.

That anxiety has roots. Burnham has built his pitch on an interventionist, redistributive platform, and his name has been attached to proposals ranging from a land value tax to expanded local levies such as a tourist charge on overnight stays. For owner-managers already wrestling with higher employment costs, the prospect of a more activist Treasury is unsettling. Business confidence has been fragile for some time, as our reporting on how Labour’s tax decisions have dampened consumer and business sentiment has charted over recent months.

The fear is not abstract. It lands on people who are already stretched. Separate research has pointed to soaring stress levels among the UK’s smallest firms, and the Trends Research findings suggest a fresh layer of political uncertainty is now compounding that pressure. When eight in ten owners express unease about a single individual’s potential premiership, it speaks to how exposed the sector feels to decisions taken well above its pay grade.

It would be wrong, though, to read the numbers as a settled verdict. Burnham has not yet formally challenged Sir Keir, who has insisted he will not step aside, and the mayor has at points positioned himself as a champion of regional growth and a backer of hospitality through a lower VAT rate. The concern voiced by those 2,000 owners is rooted in uncertainty as much as opposition, and uncertainty can cut both ways.

What the research makes plain is that the small business community is watching Westminster closely and nervously. With capital allowances, employment rules and the tax burden all sensitive to a change at the top, owners have learned to take political turbulence seriously. As one survey after another has shown, including our own coverage of why business leaders fear that higher capital gains tax would stifle investment, confidence is hard won and quickly lost.

For now, the message from the shop floor and the spare-room office alike is one of caution. Britain’s job creators are not waiting to be reassured, they are bracing for impact.

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The defence giant has hailed its full-year performance as its current CEO prepares to retire

Defence giant Babcock has posted a rise in revenues for the full year and announced another £200m share buyback scheme. The business hailed its performance for the period ending March 31, 2026, amid an “increasingly uncertain geopolitical backdrop”.

The group, which operates Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth and sites across Scotland including Fastlane, reported revenues of £5.1bn – up eight per cent on a year earlier – driven by its nuclear and aviation divisions.

Underlying operating profit stood at £293m – down from £362.9m a year earlier – after being hit by a £140m charge on a Type 31 contract.

Outgoing chief executive David Lockwood, who is retiring at the end of the year, said: “Against an increasingly uncertain geopolitical backdrop, Babcock has delivered continued strategic and operational progress.

“We achieved strong underlying growth, improved margins and robust cash generation, while securing important contract wins that further strengthen our position in defence and nuclear markets, where long-term demand is increasingly structural.”

During the period, Babcock “ramped up” its £1bn DSG British Army vehicle support contract and increased its activity at Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in Bridgwater, Somerset, under the MEH alliance. It also reopened Devonport’s 15 Dock facility, increasing submarine maintenance capability.

The company increased its full-year dividend by 15 per cent and launched a further £200m share buyback, following successful completion of the previous programme in April.

“With our core capabilities aligned to our customers’ evolving priorities, we are building a high-quality pipeline of long-term growth opportunities,” Mr Lockwood added.

“Babcock is a more resilient business today, with clear momentum and strong visibility. Our people remain our most important asset, and we continue to build a talent-led culture with the right skills, capability and leadership. I leave with confidence that the group is well positioned for its next phase of delivery, growth and value creation.”

For FY27, Babcock expects “another year of good progress”, it said, with around 70 per cent revenue under contract in April – a similar percentage to the previous year.

It also reaffirmed its medium-term guidance of average mid-single digit organic revenue growth, underlying operating margin of at least nine per cent and average underlying operating cash conversion of at least 80 per cent.

Mr Lockwood announced in January that he would be departing the business after overseeing a sixfold rise in the company’s share price throughout his five-year leadership.

He will be succeeded by former Army officer Harry Holt, the current chief executive of Babcock’s nuclear arm. Mr Holt was appointed deputy chief executive in April and will take up the top job at Babcock on August 1.

“Babcock’s full-year results contained few surprises as it delivered double-digit underlying revenue and profit growth,” said Aarin Chiekrie, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

“The balance sheet remains in great shape, with its small net debt pile trending lower. Alongside healthy free cash flows and a strong demand outlook, that’s given Babcock the confidence to raise its full-year dividend.”

The bank has released its latest business barometer

Welsh businesses are showing resilience in response to global uncertainty, with 68% saying they are confident in their ability to withstand economic shocks, according to new findings from the Lloyds business barometer.

More two thirds (71%) of Welsh businesses say they have been impacted by recent global uncertainty, with 62% citing rising costs and 44% citing supply chain disruption as the main consequences. Despite this, 48% of firms said they still expect to grow this year.

The latest research reveals that Welsh businesses are adapting, with 51% of firms actively adjusting their strategy in response to global uncertainty, Among those taking action, 66% have introduced cost-saving measures, 49% have delayed or reduced expansion plans and 44% have locked in commodity, raw material or input prices.

Welsh businesses are using financial tools to help manage volatility, with 66% of companies saying they have the right financial tools and support to mitigate economic shocks.

Of those with appropriate support, 39% use cashflow forecasting, 32% use working capital facilities or overdrafts and 31% use invoice or supply chain financing.

For the UK as a whole 84% of businesses are confident in their ability to withstand economic shocks.

Nathan Morgan, area director for Wales at Lloyds, said: “Welsh businesses continue to show real resilience in the face of global uncertainty. While rising costs and supply chain disruption are clearly having an impact, it’s encouraging to see firms taking proactive steps to protect their operations, manage volatility and keep their growth ambitions on track.

“By introducing measures such as cost saving, fixing prices and using tools like cashflow forecasting, businesses are putting themselves in a stronger position to navigate the months ahead. The challenges are clear, but these findings show that many Welsh firms remain confident, adaptable and ready to capitalise on opportunities as they emerge.”

Amanda Murphy, chief executive for Lloyds Business and Commercial Banking, said: “What we’re seeing from businesses is not just resilience, but decisive action in the face of ongoing uncertainty.

Across sectors like manufacturing, logistics and food production, firms are taking practical steps to protect their operations – increasing inventory and locking in costs where they can.

“Many also recognise that global supply chain challenges and energy market volatility are structural issues, not temporary blips. In response, businesses are managing costs, securing supply and building greater resilience into their operating models.

“That puts greater focus on working capital and funding, but it also reflects a confidence. Firms are backing their ability to navigate uncertainty and continue to grow.”

Severe storms swept across Oklahoma overnight Sunday into Monday morning, prompting multiple tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings, knocking out power to thousands of residents, and causing reported property damage across several counties.

Tornado Warnings Issued Overnight

Tornado warnings were issued for Noble, Logan and Payne Counties until 2 a.m. as storms tracked through the region overnight. Large hail and damaging winds were expected overnight Sunday, with the slight possibility of isolated tornadoes if conditions presented themselves, according to the News 9 Storm Team, which monitored the system as it moved across the state.

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Widespread Power Outages in Woodward

The storms left a significant mark on the electrical grid in northwestern Oklahoma. OG&E reported close to 2,500 people without power in Woodward after severe storms caused several outages overnight Sunday. The first outages were reported close to 11:22 p.m., with an estimated time of restoration close to 5 a.m. Monday morning.

The disruption extended beyond Woodward itself, with reports of approximately 400 additional people without power near Harper, Oklahoma, as the storm system continued moving through the area.

A Train Knocked Over by High Winds

Among the more dramatic incidents reported during the overnight severe weather event, high winds knocked over a train east of Woodward, underscoring the intensity of the wind gusts accompanying the storm system as it tracked across the region.

Storm Damage in Fairview

Beyond the power outages and the overturned train, storm damage was also reported in Fairview as the severe weather system continued its path through northwestern Oklahoma, contributing to a broader picture of property impacts across multiple communities affected by the overnight storms.

A Sequence of Escalating Warnings

The National Weather Service issued a series of escalating warnings throughout the evening and overnight hours as the storm system intensified and moved across the state. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued until 10:15 p.m. for Woodward County, followed later by a Flood Warning issued for the Chikaskia River near Blackwell, affecting Grant and Kay Counties. Subsequently, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued until midnight for Ellis, Woods, Harper, and Woodward Counties, before the tornado warnings for Noble, Logan, and Payne Counties followed in the early morning hours.

Part of a Broader, Historically Active Severe Weather Month

Monday’s storms in Oklahoma arrive amid what meteorologists have already characterized as an exceptionally active stretch of severe weather across the central United States this month. June is off to an exceptionally violent, near-historic start across the United States, cementing 2026 as one of the most active severe weather years in recent memory. Data tracking preliminary severe storm logs from June 1 through June 16 reveals that the nation is experiencing its second-fastest start for damaging straight-line wind reports since comprehensive record-keeping began in 1955.

That pace of severe weather activity has been surpassed only once in recorded history during the same early-month window. This month’s relentless barrage of bowing thunderstorm complexes and intense squall lines has churned out wind damage at a pace surpassed only by the legendary, hyperactive June of 2008, which logged a staggering 3,619 wind reports during the exact same 16-day opening window. If the upcoming weeks remain this highly charged, atmospheric experts believe 2026 stands a legitimate chance at challenging the all-time full-month June record of 5,554 wind reports.

A Year Already Marked by Deadly Tornado Activity in Oklahoma

Sunday and Monday’s storms add to what has already been a dangerous year for severe weather across Oklahoma specifically. Earlier this year, Oklahoma experienced a high-end EF-4 tornado in April, along with a localized, multi-tornado event earlier this month on June 11. In March, a deadly outbreak in the state killed a mother and daughter in Major County when an EF2 tornado struck their vehicle near U.S. 60, while additional tornadoes touched down near Cleo Springs, Jet, Helena, and Wakita during the same multi-day event.

Continued Severe Weather Threat Across the Central U.S.

As of Monday morning, the broader threat of severe weather and flooding remained active across a wide swath of the central United States. Storms and flood threats continue to persist across the central U.S., according to weather tracking services monitoring the region, suggesting additional rounds of severe weather remained possible as the broader system continued moving through the Plains states.

What Residents Should Do

With power outages affecting thousands of residents in Woodward and Harper, and storm damage reported in multiple communities, residents in affected areas were urged to monitor official weather alerts and avoid downed power lines and debris while restoration crews worked to repair damage. Estimated restoration times for the Woodward outages were set for around 5 a.m. Monday, though officials cautioned that timelines could shift depending on the extent of damage discovered during repair efforts.

With severe weather continuing to threaten portions of the central United States and meteorologists warning that 2026 could approach historic records for storm activity by the end of the month, residents across Oklahoma and neighboring states are being urged to remain vigilant for additional rounds of severe thunderstorms, large hail, damaging winds, and the potential for further tornado development in the days ahead. Continued monitoring of National Weather Service alerts and local forecasts will remain essential as the broader weather pattern responsible for this month’s unusually active severe weather continues to evolve across the region.

The shares of Vikram Solar dropped nearly 3% on Monday after the Kolkata bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted an insolvency petition filed by Isitva Steels Private Limited against the company over alleged dues worth Rs 9.44 crore.

In an exchange filing released on Friday, Vikram Solar said that Isitva Steels (ISPL) alleged non-payment of dues in its petition regarding civil works sub-contracted to ISPL in 2018 for a solar EPC power project being set up in Andhra Pradesh.

“The alleged claim amount is approximately Rs 9.44 crore (including an interest of approximately Rs 4.21 crore), which has been actively and vigorously disputed by the company, inter alia, in light of the existence of a full and final settlement agreement dated December 7, 2019, entered into between ISPL and the company,” Vikram Solar added.

The solar module maker said it is in the process of filing an appeal against the NCLT order before the NCLAT and is consulting its legal advisors for other possible legal courses of action. Meanwhile, Tripti Agarwal has been appointed as the Interim Resolution Professional.

Also read: Vikram Solar crosses 10 GW in global deployments

Vikram Solar share price

Vikram Solar shares had made a muted market debut in August last year, listing at around a 2% premium over the IPO price at Rs 338 apiece. The IPO of Vikram Solar, which opened on August 19 and closed on August 21, received an overwhelming response with a 56.42 times subscription. Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) led the demand at 145.10 times, while Non-Institutional Investors (NIIs) subscribed 52.87 times and the retail portion 7.98 times.

The stock then jumped 21% in around a month to hit a 52-week high of Rs 407.95 apiece in September 2025. The stock then sharply tumbled over 60% to hit a 52-week low of Rs 162.10 per share in February this year. The stock has so far recovered 20% since then to trade at Rs 195.01 apiece today.
Also read: Infosys, HCL Tech, Coforge, other IT stocks rise up to 3% a day after a massive crash. What lies ahead? (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)