Rental crisis in London worsens: ‘Payments border on the obscene’ August 18, 2025 Rents in London are taking up a larger portion of tenants’ earnings again after three years of improvements. Private renters on a median household income in the capital paid 41.6 per cent of their earnings on rent last year, up from 38 per cent in 2023 and the highest figure since 2021. The cost of [...]
Close Brothers shares downgraded despite motor finance win August 18, 2025 Analysts have slapped a downgrade on Close Brothers stock despite the bank’s motor finance win last month at the Supreme Court. The FTSE 250-listed bank’s stock rating was lowered to ‘Sector Perform’, down from previous ‘Outperform’ expectations. Close Brothers shares were down over four per cent in early trading to 494.80. It comes after the [...]
Burford Capital in talks to buy stakes in US law firms August 18, 2025 Legal financial firm Burford Capital is in talks to buy stakes in a US law firm, the identity of which has not been disclosed
UK must change Bitcoin rules to catch up with Trump August 18, 2025 While Donald Trump pledges to make the US the “crypto capital of the world” the UK is slipping behind with outdated Bitcoin regulations.
Stephen Kinnock quizzed on his dad’s calls to ditch two-child benefit cap August 18, 2025 Stephen Kinnock said that discussions in government around scrapping the two-child benefit cap are “ongoing”, when asked about his father Lord Kinnock’s calls to ditch the policy. In an interview with BBC Breakfast, the health minister said: “Decisions about the Budget, decisions like that have major financial implications, they are a matter for the Chancellor.” [...]
Tory MP takes chainsaw to workers’ rights package in new video August 18, 2025 The shadow secretary of state for business has channelled Argentina’s red-tape-slashing President, Javier Milei, in a new video in which he vows to “take a chainsaw” to the government’s 300-page workers’ rights overhaul. Tory MP Andrew Griffith filmed himself cutting through the tome of new legislation that the Employment Rights Bill will foist on employers, [...]
Exclusive: Wembley in line to stage Springboks match against Japan August 18, 2025 The world champion South Africa rugby team will play at Wembley Stadium in November in a repeat of their “Miracle of Brighton” match against Japan, City AM understands. The Springboks, currently playing in the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship, will head to Europe in November for their traditional tour. They’re listed to face France on 8 [...]
Dr Martens firmly in recovery mode, says City broker August 18, 2025 Dr Martens is ‘making headway’ on its ambitious turnaround plan, with an ever-more positive outlook for the boot company, according to a City broker. “The debate is not whether [Dr Martens] can recover, but rather how long it will take… the process has already started,” Peel Hunt analysts said. The company, which was founded in [...]
Tories: Reeves gambling tax hike raises risk of black market betting August 18, 2025 The Conservatives have warned of a rise in black market betting if Labour levies a tax on gamblers to fill Treasury coffers. The Government is increasingly looking like it will need to find tax rises to announce at Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ autumn Budget, with punters on the front line to be hit hard by No11. [...]
‘Weak fiscal position’ pushes UK borrowing costs to 27-year high August 18, 2025 Government borrowing costs have jumped over the past two weeks, flashing warning signs for Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The 30-year gilt yield hit 5.57 per cent on Friday before falling back to stick around 5.54 per cent when trading began on Monday. Gilt yields are higher than levels seen in April after President Trump announced sweeping [...]