Starmer ally defends minimum wage quango after Sunak calls for it to be axed Economics Welfare secretary Pat McFadden has leapt to the defence of the minimum wage quango after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for the body to be axed. The top ally of Sir Keir Starmer told City AM it “would be a mistake” to abolish the Low Pay Commission (LPC), an independent body that advises the [...]
London Stock Exchange boss accuses FCA of ‘playing fast and loose’ as she warns government may have to ‘step in’ Markets The boss of the London Stock Exchange has taken aim at the financial watchdog over its plans to introduce greater market transparency in signs of a major fallout between the two City institutions. Julia Hoggett, chief executive of the exchange, has accused the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of “playing fast and loose” with the market, [...]
Private equity faces ‘sharp shock’ of triple threat stalling market momentum Business The global private equity market has stalled as it faces a triple-shock of issues which are contributing to a slowdown in market momentum, according to new figures from Bain & Company. The Big Three consulting firm said in its midyear report on private equity that the industry, “which was gathering momentum at the start of [...]
Nationwide boss Debbie Crosbie banks £4.7m payday after Virgin Money deal June 8, 2026 The boss of Nationwide has seen her pay almost double since the building society’s blockbuster takeover of Virgin Money. Debbie Crosbie, who has steered the mutual since 2022, bagged a £4.7m pay packet in the last financial year, up from £2.5m the year prior. The mammoth uplift was driven by the cash and bonuses from [...]
Blackstone looks to shed $2bn of stakes in private investment funds June 8, 2026 Blackstone is looking to offload over $2bn of stakes held in private investment funds, presenting a test of investors’ appetite for ageing private equity vehicles. The firm is promoting a so-called collateralised fund obligation (CFO), which will bundle more than $2bn (£1.5bn) of stakes in leveraged buyout funds into bonds to sell to investors and [...]
Balfour Beatty emerges from US oversight scheme after fraud against military June 8, 2026 There was a “landmark moment” for FTSE 250 firm Balfour Beatty on Monday, with the announcement that its US subsidiary emerged from special scrutiny from the Department of Justice (DoJ). The news came as both a reminder of the global reach of London’s major support services sector and the pitfalls it can face from complex, [...]
Nvidia chief brushes off tech sell-off as a buying opportunity June 8, 2026 Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang brushed off a significant market wobble stoked by growing concerns surrounding AI, hailing the widespread sell-off as a buying opportunity for investors in a technology which is just “beginning”. Huang’s intervention came as Asian markets tumbled during Monday trading, following the Nasdaq’s 4.2 per cent plunge on Friday – its [...]
Debenhams and Revolution unveil new beauty collaboration June 8, 2026 Fast-fashion retailer Debenhams has formalised a royalty-based licensing partnership with Revolution Beauty to develop and distribute beauty and fragrance products across Debenhams’ brand portfolio. The first collections are expected to launch ahead of Christmas, featuring fragrance and gifting lines for PrettyLittleThing, Karen Millen, and boohooMAN. While further beauty and fragrance launches are planned across a [...]
As it happened: Stocks and oil recover as Iran declares end to strikes; tech rally rocks markets June 8, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 edged into the green on Monday lunchtime and US futures pointed to gains, as the markets looked to claw back early jitters caused by fresh Middle East strikes and a tech stock sell-off. An exchange of fire from Iran and Israel left [...]
Jobs slump as economy ‘held up by uncertainty’ June 8, 2026 The UK jobs market has been handed another blow as businesses ditch permanent hires as the economy battles against domestic and international uncertainty. The latest jobs report from KPMG and REC, the professional body for recruiters, showed hiring for permanent places dropped to a reading of 44.1 in May, which sits below the neutral 50 [...]