East Yorkshire Hydraulics, founded nearly 50 years ago, has been acquired by the son of one of its founders

A family-run business in Hull established nearly half a century ago is eyeing future growth after being acquired by the son of one of its founders. East Yorkshire Hydraulics, which has its head office on Harpings Road, was set up in 1979 to specialise in the design, installation and repair of hydraulic units across a range of industries.

Over the decades, the firm has expanded its client base to encompass sectors spanning steelmaking and aerospace through to power generation, and it also operates as a service centre for accumulator inspection and certification. Now the company, which currently has a workforce of 18, has secured a six-figure loan from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, managed by Mercia as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), to drive expansion following a buyout.

The deal sees Andrew Kirby take control of the company, having first got involved with the company more than 35 years ago, lending a hand during his school holidays. His father, Barrie Kirby, and fellow engineer John Williams co-founded the firm in the 1970s, and the transaction allows Mr Williams to step down and retire.

Barrie Kirby, meanwhile, will continue in a part-time capacity. The funding will also strengthen the company’s working capital and facilitate investment in new equipment.

Andrew Kirby, managing director, said: “East Yorkshire Hydraulics has built a track record for expertise and reliability. It’s an honour to be taking over the business and I hope one day to pass on the legacy to my own sons.”, reports Hull Live.

“Demand for hydraulic systems has increased in recent years as high energy costs encourage businesses to improve efficiency by replacing older hydraulic systems. We have also won new work after Brexit as companies have sought out UK suppliers.

“The business is now well placed across all sectors and the loan will help us to move forward and target new areas such as renewable energy.”

Rebecca Pickering of Mercia Debt added: “Barrie and John have built a respected and profitable business over the years and Andrew, who himself has years of experience with the company, is ideally placed to take over the reins. We are pleased to support it as it enters an exciting new chapter in its history.”

Sarah Newbould, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “Through NPIF II, we’re pleased to support the next stage of East Yorkshire Hydraulics’ journey, helping to preserve a successful heritage family business while enabling continued investment in its people and long-term growth.

“Advanced manufacturing plays a vital role in driving innovation and regional economic prosperity, and this investment reflects NPIF II’s commitment to supporting businesses that contribute to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and strengthen the country’s industrial base.”

Gamblers who spend more than £1,000 online in a 24-hour window will have to undergo a financial risk assessment, the industry regulator has announced.

The Gambling Commission said this would also apply to anyone spending over £3,000 in a rolling 90-day period. Under-25s will have lower thresholds.

The assessments will be based on data held by credit reference agencies, but the commission has insisted they are not “affordability checks”.

Operators will use the information to help them identify gamblers at risk of financial harm or in financial difficulty.

The commission has not set a timeline for the changes saying they will be introduced in a “very careful, staged way”.

The checks will start with over-25s who gamble more than £5,000 in a rolling 24-hour period. The watchdog says this will affect less than 0.5% of customers. It will begin following engagement companies and other stakeholders over the summer.

The threshold will eventually be lowered to £1,000 in 24 hours.

In 2023, a white paper on gambling recommended enhanced checks on customers experiencing very high losses.

On Tuesday, the commission said high-spending gamblers were between two and four times more likely to have a debt management plan, and between two and five times more likely to have a default in the previous 12 months than consumers in the wider population.

The commission has been looking into whether gambling companies can use credit reference data to spot customers at risk of financial harm.

The acting chief executive of the Gambling Commission, Sarah Gardner, said the vast majority of customers would “never, ever” require an assessment.

Those who do would have a frictionless, document-free assessment provided by credit reference agencies, with no impact on their credit score.

The commission has insisted that the assessments are not the same as affordability checks, which Gardner said were “deeply unpopular” with gamblers.

She added that stakeholders had expressed concerns that more regulation could push problem gamblers onto the black market.

The holiday park business which started with just one site in the 1980s now has 15 sites within its portfolio

A growing holiday park group has expanded further into Yorkshire following the addition of three new parks. Maguires Country Parks was first established in 1981 when the Maguire family purchased their first site, Low Carrs Country Park, in County Durham.

The Berwick-based family firm has since grown to offer a collection of holiday, residential and touring parks across the North East and Yorkshire. The company specialises in holiday home ownership and touring experiences, with a focus on well-maintained parks, quality facilities and peaceful countryside locations.

Its holiday and touring destinations include Ord House, Forget Me Not, The Kaims, High Hermitage, Hurworth Springs, Newbus Grange, Marwood, Low Carrs, Nursery Garden, The Burrows, Swaleside and Swainby.

The business now owns 15 sites across Northumberland, County Durham and North Yorkshire after swooping for three sites in North Yorkshire. Directors have announced the addition of Winksley Banks Country Park, Foxhall Country Park and Hutton Bonville Country Park to its growing portfolio.

The expansion strengthens Maguires’ presence across North Yorkshire, with each park offering a distinct setting in well-kept grounds and peaceful surroundings.

Winksley Banks Country Park, based near Ripon, is set within a mature woodland setting close to the banks of the River Laver. The new owners said the park offers a quiet and established environment for holiday home ownership, with easy access to the Yorkshire Dales and surrounding countryside.

Foxhall Country Park meanwhile is set near the market town of Richmond and close to the Yorkshire Dales. The park provides a rural setting with open views across the North Yorkshire countryside, while remaining within easy reach of local amenities and attractions.

Lastly, Hutton Bonville Country Park is situated near Northallerton, offering a more open countryside setting with views across rural North Yorkshire. Its location provides convenient access to both the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, making it a practical base for exploring the wider region.

All three parks focus on holiday home ownership, giving customers the opportunity to enjoy regular breaks in a consistent and well-managed environment. Each site reflects Maguires Country Parks’ approach to creating relaxed, low-density parks designed for comfort and ease of use throughout the year.

Gilbert Maguire, director of Maguires Country Parks, said: “We’re pleased to bring these three parks into the Maguires portfolio. Each one offers something a bit different in terms of location and setting, but all fit with what we’re about – well-maintained parks in good locations where people can enjoy their time away.”

The addition of Winksley Banks, Foxhall and Hutton Bonville marks a continued period of growth for the family-run business, building on its established presence across the North East and Yorkshire.

📣 “Investors are not walking away from the AI story, but they are asking whether a sector priced for perfection can keep delivering perfection into earnings season.”

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani moved to the doorstep of another career milestone Monday night, blasting his 19th home run of the season, and the 299th of his career, to help power the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-7 win over the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.

Ohtani’s two-run shot in the third inning put the Dodgers ahead in a back-and-forth contest that ultimately went their way. The home run came off Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland, with Ohtani jumping on a first-pitch cutter and driving it out to left-center field at 105.9 mph off the bat. The blast followed an earlier at-bat in the game in which Ohtani laced a 111.8 mph lineout to center field in the first inning, a sign that his timing at the plate remained sharp even before he connected for the milestone-adjacent home run two innings later.

The performance also offered reassurance for the Dodgers regarding Ohtani’s health. The two-way superstar had sat out Saturday’s game due to right biceps tightness, a development that had drawn attention given his dual role as both a starting pitcher and one of the game’s most dangerous hitters. Ohtani’s authoritative swing against Freeland went a long way toward easing any lingering concern about the injury, at least for the time being.

Of Ohtani’s 299 career home runs, 128 have come during his three seasons with the Dodgers since signing with the club, a stretch that has included an MVP-caliber run of production at the plate alongside his continued development as a frontline starting pitcher. Ohtani has built his career total across stints with the Los Angeles Angels, where he broke into the majors and established himself as one of the sport’s most unique two-way talents, and now with the Dodgers, where he has continued to add to his home run tally while also contributing on the mound.

Ohtani’s home run total this season now stands at 19, keeping him on a productive pace at the plate as the Dodgers navigate the middle stretch of their schedule. According to Baseball Savant data, Ohtani has posted an average exit velocity of 93.6 mph this season, along with a hard-hit rate of 52.4 percent, a weighted on-base average of .394, and a barrel rate of 15.9 percent, numbers that reflect the kind of consistent offensive production that has made him one of the sport’s most feared hitters in recent years.

Ohtani’s push toward 300 career home runs adds to an already extensive list of milestones and records he has accumulated throughout his career. He became the first player in Major League Baseball history to qualify for the league leaders as both a hitter and a pitcher in the same season, and he remains the only player in the sport’s history to post a season with at least 10 pitching wins and at least 30 home runs, a feat previously matched only by Babe Ruth in 1918 under different statistical benchmarks. Ohtani has also won multiple American League Most Valuable Player awards, including a unanimous selection in 2023, cementing his status as one of the most decorated two-way players the sport has ever produced.

Monday’s game also featured contributions from other Dodgers hitters as the team worked to hold off a persistent Rockies offense. The 8-7 final score reflected a competitive contest between the two clubs, with Colorado continuing to push the Dodgers throughout the game before Los Angeles ultimately secured the win at Dodger Stadium.

Ohtani’s recent form on both sides of the ball has continued to draw attention throughout the season. In a start earlier this year against the Rockies, Ohtani turned in a dominant pitching performance, tossing six hitless innings while also hitting a leadoff home run, extending a rare feat in which he became the only pitcher in Major League history to hit a leadoff home run in a game he also started on the mound, a feat he has now accomplished on multiple occasions, including during a two-way masterpiece in Game 4 of the 2025 National League Championship Series. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has previously praised Ohtani’s rare blend of pitching dominance and offensive production, noting the exceptionally high standards to which the two-way star holds himself even after strong outings on the mound.

With Ohtani sitting at 299 career home runs, attention now turns to when he will connect for the 300th of his career, a milestone that would place him among a relatively small group of players in franchise and league history to reach that career total. Given his current home run pace of 19 through the portion of the season completed so far, Ohtani appears well positioned to continue climbing the sport’s career home run leaderboards in the years ahead, particularly as he continues to split his workload between hitting and pitching for a Dodgers team built around his unique two-way talents.

Ohtani was also named to the National League All-Star roster for this year’s All-Star Game, scheduled for July 14 in Philadelphia, continuing his streak of All-Star selections as both a pitcher and position player, a distinction that remains unique to his career among modern Major League players. His continued excellence at the plate and on the mound has kept him at the center of MLB’s national conversation throughout the season, with Monday’s home run against the Rockies serving as the latest example of the sustained production that has defined his time with the Dodgers.

As the Dodgers continue their pursuit of another deep postseason run, Ohtani’s steady march toward 300 career home runs adds another storyline to a season already defined by his continued dominance as one of the sport’s most singular talents, with fans and teammates alike now watching closely for the moment he reaches the milestone in the games ahead.

Mutual fund moves often attract attention because they are usually backed by detailed research, expert analysis, and a long-term investment approach. In March 2026, fund managers raised their exposure to nearly 322 stocks from the BSE 500 universe compared with the previous quarter—a sign that several companies were finding favour among institutional investors.
What followed was a remarkable rally. Since early April 2026, a number of these stocks have delivered exceptional gains within a little over three months. Among them, 13 stocks stood out by climbing between 60% and 230%, including three multibagger performers that more than doubled investors’ wealth in a short period. Their strong performance highlights how rising mutual fund participation can sometimes signal emerging opportunities and changing market sentiment. (Data Source: ACE Equity)

The impact of the Iran war means a million more homeowners face higher mortgage bills than the Bank of England had previously expected.

Just over five million homeowners should expect their monthly mortgage repayments to increase by the end of 2028, according to Bank forecasts.

That compared to four million projected by the Bank in December.

However, the Bank’s Financial Stability Report said the hit would not be as hard as seen in recent years.

A typical owner-occupier rolling off a fixed rate in the next two years is likely to face an increase of £45 on their monthly mortgage bill, the Bank said. That compares to a typical rise of £120 for those getting a new deal between the end of 2022 and end of 2024.

However, 750,000 homeowners who are paying less than 3% interest on their current deal would be rolling off these products this year and would see an average increase of £170 per month in repayments, the Bank said.

More than eight in 10 mortgage customers have fixed-rate deals.

The interest rate on this kind of mortgage does not change until the deal expires, usually after two or five years, and a new one is chosen to replace it.

More than two million borrowers on a two-year fixed deal expiring by the end of 2028 were projected to remortgage close to their existing rate and see little change in repayments, the Bank said.

However, these borrowers were now unlikely to see repayments fall over coming years, as had been forecast prior to the Iran conflict.

Bangkok is emerging as a premier hub for the global ultra-wealthy due to its combination of strong domestic entrepreneurship and growing international appeal. The city is currently Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing wealth hub, with its ultra-high-net-worth population projected to grow by more than 50% by 2030

Bangkok is on track to become one of the world’s fastest-growing centres for ultra-high-net-worth individuals over the next five years, according to new data that positions the Thai capital ahead of every other major city in Southeast Asia, including Jakarta.

The numbers behind the surge

Thailand was home to 2,090 ultra-high-net-worth individuals in 2025, of which 1,210 listed Bangkok as their primary residence, according to Altrata’s World Ultra Wealth Report 2026. The wealth intelligence firm defines UHNW individuals as those holding net assets above US$30 million.

Bangkok’s UHNW population is projected to climb to roughly 1,840 by 2030, an increase of more than 50 percent, or an average annual growth rate of 8.7 percent, according to Maya Imberg, Altrata’s senior director and head of thought leadership and analytics. That trajectory ranks Bangkok 12th among the world’s 100 largest urban economies by nominal GDP for UHNW growth, and first in Southeast Asia.

A separate forecast from Knight Frank’s Wealth Report 2026 points in the same direction, projecting Thailand’s UHNW population will grow 26 percent between 2026 and 2031, alongside a 6.3 percent rise in prime residential prices.

Entrepreneurs, not heirs

The composition of Bangkok’s wealthy class runs counter to some regional assumptions. Fully inherited wealth accounts for less than one-tenth of the city’s ultra-wealthy population, with Imberg noting that most individuals built their fortunes themselves, often with a degree of family backing rather than inheritance alone.

Altrata attributes the durability of this growth to structural rather than cyclical factors: institutional quality, tax and trade policy, entrepreneurship, capital market depth, and currency strength. The firm also points to rising “ultra-mobility” among wealthy individuals, who increasingly invest, work, and live across several jurisdictions rather than anchoring exclusively to one.

Real estate and the mobility trend

Knight Frank Thailand’s managing director, Nattha Kahapana, frames the shift as part of Thailand’s repositioning in the eyes of global wealth: less an emerging market, more an evolving wealth centre built on liveability, infrastructure, and lifestyle. Demand is concentrated in super-prime condominiums in Bangkok, alongside branded residences in Phuket and Koh Samui, and wellness-oriented holiday homes, with buyers coming from Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Set against a fragile backdrop

The wealth build-up is unfolding even as global equity markets show signs of stress. As outlined in TBN’s recent analysis of stock market fragility signals, the SET Index has swung sharply in 2026, including an 8 percent single-day drop that triggered a circuit breaker in March before recovering to a 2.75-year high above 1,500 points by May. That volatility underscores a broader theme in the UHNW data: Thailand’s wealth expansion is being driven by long-run structural factors, entrepreneurship, institutional credibility, capital market access, rather than short-term market cycles, even as those same cycles inject volatility into the domestic index.

The bigger picture

Bangkok’s rise fits inside a broader global expansion. The world’s UHNW population reached a record 556,850 individuals in 2025, up 14.4 percent year-on-year, the strongest expansion since 2017, with combined wealth of US$63.8 trillion. Altrata expects that figure to reach 746,570 individuals by 2030, driven by technological transformation, private capital expansion, and the restructuring of the global economy around artificial intelligence, energy transition, and digital infrastructure.

For Bangkok, the data suggests the city’s wealth trajectory is no longer a side note to the broader ASEAN growth story, but one of its more distinctive chapters.

Source : World Ultra Wealth Report 2026 – Altrata

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