More retailers report this week, amid signs of solid online holiday spending

In Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free, Roula Khalaf selects her favorite stories, including Dominic Cummings' vindication by Keir Starmer's alignment with Tory predecessors on civil service failures and planning reforms, highlighting areas of consensus between Labour and the Tories. Despite shared goals, the challenge lies in delivering reforms effectively, as seen in the slow progress and lack of confidence in Starmer's ability to take on the political machine and drive change through, potentially leading...

ServiceTitan, founded by Vahe Kuzoyan and Ara Mahdessian, priced its IPO at $71 a share, raising almost $625 million and valuing the company at $6.3 billion. The cloud software provider for contractors is set to debut on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol "TTAN," with top shareholders including Bessemer Venture Partners, TPG, and Iconiq. ServiceTitan's software helps with marketing, sales, scheduling, and customer service, with preliminary results showing a net loss of $47 million on $198.5...

Shares of Oxford Industries dropped in after-hours trading following the company's decision to lower its full-year forecast due to the impact of hurricanes Milton and Helene on its primary market, the Southeast U.S. The maker of popular clothing brands like Tommy Bahama and Lilly Pulitzer cited the severe weather conditions in the region as a key factor affecting its financial outlook. Full Article

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, full-time workers spent an average of 8.49 hours per day at work in 2023. A study by Hennessey Digital analyzed Glassdoor data to identify companies with the best work-life balance, ranking LinkedIn as the top employer with a 4.32 out of 5 rating. Other companies in the top 10 list included Indeed, Docusign, Slalom, and HubSpot, all receiving high ratings for work-life balance on Glassdoor. Full Article

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, curates her top stories in the Unlock the Editor’s Digest, a weekly newsletter. More than 10,000 UK civil service jobs are set to be cut in a bid to achieve savings of 5 per cent across departments, with ministers considering voluntary redundancy programs. The spending review led by chancellor Rachel Reeves aims to reduce the overall civil service headcount, emphasizing productivity gains and the use of AI to streamline...

Griffin Haddrill, a successful entrepreneur, began his career at 12 with a rough business plan for an earbud company, which eventually led to founding VRTCL and now leading LV8, a digital marketing agency. Facing challenges during the pandemic, he reached out to contacts for advice, leading to VRTCL's success in TikTok campaigns. Haddrill emphasizes authenticity and awareness in marketing, focusing on building awareness over conversion rates and adapting trends to create unique campaigns in the...