Goldman Sachs lands lead role on SpaceX’s record $1.75 trillion IPO May 20, 2026 SpaceX is preparing to launch what could become the largest stock market flotation in history, after Goldman Sachs secured the coveted lead left underwriting role on a proposed $75bn initial public offering. The Elon Musk-led rocket, satellite and AI group is expected to publish its prospectus as early as Wednesday ahead of a planned Nasdaq [...]
M&S profit slumps in fallout from cyber attack May 20, 2026 Marks & Spencer saw its profit slump by a quarter as the retailer took more than a £100m hit from its “traumatic” cyber attack last year. The FTSE 100 supermarket and clothing business saw pre-tax profit fall by 29 per cent to £365m in the year to March, despite sales growing by 25 per cent [...]
Inflation drops as Labour subsidies delay price surge May 20, 2026 Inflation dropped slightly compared to the result in the month before as Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget policies stalled an expected surge in price growth. The Office for National Statistics revealed that the consumer price index (CPI) reading was 2.8 per cent, lower than expected by City forecasters. The data for price growth in the year [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 rises as oil slips; Analysts warn of ‘short-lived’ inflation drop May 20, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The City has welcomed news of undershooting inflation this morning, but warning signs already suggest it’s a temporary blip. The Consumer Price Index rose 2.8 per cent in the 12 months to April, that’s under the three per cent pencilled in and a major drop [...]
Uefa probes Brighton and Hearts connection under Tony Bloom ownership May 20, 2026 Uefa is scrutinising the relationship between Hearts and Brighton and Hove Albion, with both clubs connected to Tony Bloom on course to qualify for Europe. Brighton owner Bloom holds a 29 per cent stake in Hearts – deliberately below the 30 per cent threshold Uefa prohibits owners from holding in more than one club in [...]
Job cuts at Big Four firms fuel worker burnout May 20, 2026 Job cuts at professional services firms are resulting in overworked staff, but the pressures – combined with increased reliance on AI – risk damaging firms’ reputations through mistakes, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. The professional services industry, especially the Big Four giants, has faced its fair share of job cuts, with thousands of roles laid off in [...]
‘Sounds too good to be true?’ City watchdog clamps down on social media insurance scams May 20, 2026 The Financial Conduct Authority is cracking down on insurance scams advertised on social media and messaging platforms after finding half of young drivers have purchased illegitimate insurance premiums this way. The regulator said nearly 40 per cent of drivers aged 17-25 are “unconfident” in spotting the signs of a fake insurance policy, meaning “thousands could [...]
The Debate: Is Gen Z right to reject corporate culture? May 20, 2026 Late, rude and unproductive, Gen Z has gained quite the reputation in the office. But are they right to challenge corporate culture?
America wants what Britain does best: Creativity May 20, 2026 From where I’m standing in LA, “Made in Britain” isn’t a weakness. It’s a selling point. We've got to talk up our creative industries more.
Are we in the calm before the economic storm? May 20, 2026 There is a palpable sense of being in the calm before the storm. Thanks to the backward-looking nature of most economic data releases, we’re being fed glimpses of the gathering gloom. The latest GDP growth data from the ONS covered Q1 and came in at a respectable 0.6 per cent. However, it has been widely [...]