FTSE boss calls on City businesses to hire former offenders September 9, 2026 Beazley chief executive Adrian Cox has encouraged City business leaders to hire ex-offenders as he believes in “looking beyond convictions and recognising potential”. The boss of the FTSE specialist insurer, which agreed to be acquired by Zurich Insurance for approximately £8.14bn earlier this year, said: “City employers can transform lives while strengthening their organisations’ access [...]
Itsu blames inflation and Labour tax hikes as rising costs bite September 9, 2026 Itsu has posted its third consecutive annual loss as the Asian food-to-to chain blamed surging inflation and Labour hikes to employment taxes for its rising costs. The edamame eatery, founded by the grab-and-go tycoon behind Pret a Manger, said the UK’s fast food industry is suffering from fragile consumer confidence and a rising tax burden. [...]
Messi to buy 100 per cent of Valencia football team September 9, 2026 Lionel Messi is set to acquire 100 per cent of a Valencia football team as the football superstar looks to expand his portfolio in Spain. The former Barcelona player is reportedly close to agreeing a complete takeover of CD Eldense, a second-tier Spanish football team based in the autonomous community of Valencia’s Elda. Spanish outlet [...]
Gareth Southgate hits out at WFH and warns high taxes are harming youth unemployment September 9, 2026 Former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate has said he is against working from home and argued that young people need workplace mentors to develop their careers. On a trip with the Neets tsar Alan Milburn, Southgate hit out at companies’ working from home policies and linked it to the joblessness crisis facing under 25-year-olds. “What [...]
The art of the deal: Decisiveness can be better than capital September 9, 2026 After 30 years as an investment banker, Mervyn Metcalf knows that capital isn't always the most important part of a deal.
London bags $9bn US AI firm Replit’s first overseas office September 9, 2026 Replit, the $9bn (£6.64bn) US AI coding start-up, has picked London for its first international office as the capital continues to attract some of Silicon Valley’s fastest-growing AI companies. The San Francisco-based company has opened in King’s Cross and will use London as the base for its European operations, with plans to double its local [...]
Victoria Beckham’s fashion empire warns on ‘uncertain’ future September 9, 2026 Victoria Beckham’s luxury fashion empire has warned on its future, cautioning that the group will have to seek emergency funding if its lenders demand their money back. The former Spice Girl‘s up-market label returned a profit for the first time in the year to December but warned that the “material uncertainties” it faces could cast [...]
England Rugby in first ever back-of-shirt deal with £5m a year Lloyds signing September 9, 2026 Banking giant Lloyds has become England Rugby’s first ever back-of-shirt partner after the world’s richest union added the City staple to its sponsorship portfolio. It comes six months after City AM revealed Lloyds had held talks with England chiefs over back-of-shirt and back-of-shorts sponsorship. The deal will see the financial giant’s logo appear above the [...]
Gym Group upgrades outlook as Gen-Z shrugs off heatwave and World Cup September 9, 2026 Gym Group has upgraded its outlook after tempting Gen-Zers into its gyms throughout the summer, despite the distractions of the World Cup and multiple heatwaves. Will Orr, chief executive of the no-frills gym provider, said the group is still on course to deliver three per cent sales growth despite a “noisy macro [environment], some hot [...]
Oil hits $100 a barrel as Iran war escalates September 9, 2026 Oil prices hit $100 per barrel for the first time since July on Wednesday morning as new strikes in the Middle East sparked fresh concerns for global oil supplies. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – jumped more than two per cent, hitting $100 per barrel after making consistent gains from the [...]