FTSE 100 Live: Stocks jittery amid oil tensions; Khan woos Anthropic AI Markets Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Inflation fears have dominated the week and as for the time being, they don’t look to be heading anywhere. The FTSE 100 ended Thursday’s session slipping 1.5 per cent to 10,413.94p as markets battled renewed fears of an energy crisis. Brent crude futures – the international [...]
Barclays set to cash in on market frenzy amid Middle East crisis Banking Barclays and its UK banking peers could be set for a cash boost from the brewing crisis in the Middle East as investors quickly dump equities and fears of an inflation spike spread. FTSE 100 giant Barclays has been noted as uniquely shielded by analysts due to its mammoth market divisions. Jefferies analysts said the [...]
Aviva’s profits surge following Direct Line acquisition Insurance Aviva’s acquisition of Direct Line in 2025 contributed £174m to operating profit for the FTSE 100 giant, as the group’s overall operating profit increased by 25 per cent to £2.2bn. The group informed shareholders that it achieved its 2026 financial targets one year early, specifically reaching its £2bn operating profit and £1.8bn Solvency II own [...]
Double-digit profits at Admiral as dividends rise for shareholders March 5, 2026 FTSE 100 listed insurer Admiral reported double-digit profit growth over the last financial year, as the group pivots itself toward high-tech commercial insurance. The group profit before tax rose 16 per cent to £958m – up from £827m in 2024 – as its UK motor division surpassed the £1bn profit mark. Its other UK personal [...]
Entain losses deepen as Budget gambling tax bites March 5, 2026 Britain’s new gambling tax regime has delivered an early sting for Entain, pushing the Ladbrokes owner to a wider annual loss even as its core betting business continued to grow. The FTSE-listed bookmaker said it swung to a loss of £681m for 2025, compared with £461m a year earlier, after booking a £488m impairment linked to [...]
Reckitt: Durex condom maker strips back costs as profit inches up March 5, 2026 Consumer goods giant Reckitt posted a bump to revenue in the last financial year as its cost overhaul strategy to focus on specific divisions ramped up. The blue-chip firm – which owns a massive portfolio of brands including Dettol, Durex, Lysol, Finish, Vanish, and Gaviscon – recorded a 5.2 per cent increase in revenue, driven [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Airline shares fall after Wizz Air profit warning; Primark new boss March 5, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Global markets returned to a touch of stability on Wednesday as energy prices retreated as investors awaited the latest on the events in the Middle East. The FTSE 100 ended the day 0.8 per cent higher at 10,567.65p – still far below it’s level at [...]
US warns 15 per cent tariffs to come this week March 4, 2026 US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the administration’s plans for a higher universal 15 per cent tariff could come into effect this week. Bessent said the new baseline tariff rate would come in “likely some time this week” in an interview on Wednesday. The US implemented its 10 per cent tariff rate last [...]
Profit slides as Beazley eyes Bermuda amid Zurich £8bn takeover March 4, 2026 One of the UK’s biggest listed insurance firms suffered a slide in profit as the company prepares to be acquired by Swiss giant Zurich. FTSE 100 insurer Beazley posted pre-tax profit of $1.14bn (£870m) for the year to end December 2025, a fall of around a fifth compared to the previous year amid a softening [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks inch back up; UK faces energy bills warning March 4, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Yesterday, Rachel Reeves delivered her Spring Statement. The Chancellor wheeled out new forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility that cut growth for 2026 but – albeit modestly – upgraded it for the years to come. But forecasts were quickly labelled out of date by [...]