Crispin Odey tells court sacked receptionist was ‘dismissed for being a flirt’ March 24, 2026 Hedge fund tycoon Crispin Odey took the stand at the High Court in his case against the City watchdog, as he faced questions over his alleged behaviour toward young female employees at his eponymous hedge fund. Odey said he had a “very flirtatious relationship” with one of the women who alleged sexual harassment against him, [...]
Cancel student debt in exchange for first time buyer equity, housebuilders urge government March 24, 2026 Cash-strapped graduates struggling to get on the property ladder should have their debt written off in exchange for giving over a stake of their first home to the government, a new report has urged. The report, backed by more than 50 housing sector bodies including top housebuilders Vistry and Barratt Redrow, proposes offering a discount [...]
EC urged to stop Fifa’s ‘aggressive and exploitative’ World Cup ticket prices March 24, 2026 The European Commission has been urged to intervene over Fifa’s “aggressive and exploitative” ticket sale policies for this summer’s World Cup. Prices at the tournament provoked widespread outcry when they were revealed last year, with the cheapest tickets for the final initially costing £3,000 and now listed for much more. Consumer rights group Euroconsumers and [...]
Reeves pledges targeted support as she blasts Liz Truss’ £40bn energy bailout March 24, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves hit out at a Tory government-era energy support package that cost around £40bn in a further indication that any Labour scheme would only be for the poorest households. In an address to the House of Commons, Reeves said there were “contingency plans” being drafted for different scenarios where energy prices stay higher [...]
Not just oil: Fertiliser and helium are at risk in the Strait of Hormuz standoff March 24, 2026 Since the start of the Middle Eastern conflict nearly a month ago, analysts have kept their eyes glued to the latest energy market data. On 2 March, Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway which is responsible for shipping roughly one fifth of the world’s oil and gas, was “closed” and oil prices have [...]
Mike Lynch estate blocked from appealing HPE damages ruling March 24, 2026 The estate of the late British tech tycoon Mike Lynch has been refused permission to appeal a High Court ruling that found him liable to pay damages to Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) over its acquisition of Autonomy. Lawyers acting for Lynch’s estate had sought to challenge the 2022 judgment, which held Lynch and Autonomy’s former [...]
Snooker World Championship to stay at The Crucible until at least 2045 March 24, 2026 The Crucible will remain home to snooker’s World Championship until at least 2045 after an agreement was struck to expand the venue’s capacity. The championships will celebrate 50 years at The Crucible in 2027 but faced the threat of being moved to a larger venue overseas by the sport’s promoters Matchroom. Work will begin on [...]
Tesla jumps on Musk’s $20bn AI chip push March 24, 2026 Tesla shares climbed around 3.5 per cent on Monday after Elon Musk unveiled plans for Terafab, a huge semiconductor manufacturing project aimed at securing chip supply for the company’s next phase of growth. The stock rose to about $381 as investors responded positively to the announcement, as the firm looks beyond electric vehicles into AI [...]
Rocco Forte: Middle East tourism ‘could increase’ after ceasefire March 24, 2026 Tourism volumes to the Middle East could increase after a ceasefire in the region if the US and Israel topple the Iranian regime, Sir Rocco Forte has said as he doubled down on investment plans in the region despite an exodus of visitors. The billionaire hotel magnate, whose eponymous Rocco Forte Hotels is part-owned by [...]
Housebuilding stocks slump as Bellway issues Iran mortgage warning March 24, 2026 Shares in Bellway slumped eight per cent after it warned the Iran war is causing mortgage “volatility,” as a host of leading housebuilders were dragged down with it. FTSE 100 housebuilders Barratt Redrow, Berkeley and Persimmon were all down at least one per cent on Tuesday’s early trading, with the latter taking a two per [...]