‘Confidence exits UK economy’: FTSE 100 dips below 10,000 mark March 19, 2026 The FTSE 100 dipped below the 10,000 mark as stocks plunged on Thursday on fears the war in the Middle East was set to bring regional energy production to a halt. Traders sold off assets en masse over the course of the day, with the FTSE 100 falling by some 2.5 per cent amid turmoil [...]
HSBC job cut plans add to mounting AI warnings for banks March 19, 2026 HSBC is weighing up cutting as many as 20,000 jobs across its global business as part of a longer-term push towards automation and AI, forming the clearest signal yet of how the technology is beginning to reshape the banking workforce. According to reports, the lender is understood to be considering reductions equivalent to around 10 [...]
FCA chief clashes with investment industry on over-reliance March 19, 2026 The investment industry must stop being over-reliant on regulators and solve their own problems in order to make investors less risk averse and boost economic growth, the financial watchdog has said. Speaking in an interview with City AM, Simon Walls, interim executive director of markets at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), argued that despite the [...]
Borrowing costs surge as market bets on future Bank of England rate hikes March 19, 2026 The government’s short-term borrowing costs climbed to their highest level in more than a year on Wednesday, after the Bank of England announced a unanimous decision to hold its central interest rate. Traders aggressively pared back bets of future rate cuts on the news that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East led all nine [...]
‘Here’s a picture of a hamster’ – 4Chan ridicules Ofcom after UK regulator issues £500K fine March 19, 2026 US-based forum 4Chan has ridiculed Ofcom after the UK regulator hit them with a £520,000 fine for breaching the UK’s Online Safety Act, in a case that underlines the growing challenge of enforcing digital rules on overseas platforms as well as the increasingly combative response from parts of the tech ecosystem. The bulk of the [...]
Zack hits back – but I stand by what I said: The Green Party is dangerous March 19, 2026 After yesterday’s column on Zack Polanski (“I wouldn’t vote for his party in a million years“) the Green Party leader hit back, suggesting a lack of compassion on my part. Being firmly of a free-market persuasion I’m used to having my motives questioned, but I stand by my view that Polanski’s economic policies (wealth taxes, [...]
Bank of England holds interest rates in unanimous decision March 19, 2026 Interest rates have been held as policymakers at the Bank of England warned the war in Iran could send prices spiralling as soon as April. Members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) left interest rates unchanged at 3.75 per cent, with guidance to cutting rates in upcoming meetings now being dropped altogether. Several policymakers, including [...]
Can Scotland ever win the Six Nations, when so many of their players play abroad? March 19, 2026 On the final day of the 2026 Six Nations Championships, Ireland defeated Scotland in Dublin in their 12th successive victory against Gregor Townsend’s side. Ireland’s victory extended Scotland’s 27-year wait for the title and underlined the growing gap between the two sides. Days later, news broke that Scotland No8 Jack Dempsey has agreed a deal [...]
Banks keep £100 contactless limit despite new powers March 19, 2026 Britain’s banks will not be lifting the £100 cap on contactless payments despite the regulator giving them the power to do so, citing low demand. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) lifted the cap on Thursday, leaving it up to banks to increase their own limits – although none of the UK’s biggest banks have decided [...]
Wimbledon tennis expansion wins major battle after huge ruling on £200m plans March 19, 2026 The proposed £200m expansion of Wimbledon into an adjacent London golf course overcame a major hurdle today, with a judge ruling in favour of the All England Club. An appeal by campaign group Save Wimbledon Park resulted in a six-day hearing earlier this year, but Mr Justice Thompsell has landed on the side of the [...]