Tories gain on Reform in polls yet Badenoch struggles for approval February 3, 2026 The Conservatives have slightly narrowed Reform UK’s polling lead though Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch suffered a setback with a sharp decrease in approval ratings over the last month. The Tories now lead Labour by five percentage points and trail Nigel Farage’s party by eight points in City AM/Freshwater Strategy’s monthly poll. Reform UK enjoy 30 [...]
Exclusive: Olympian Matt Richards launches sports-tech platform Sponza February 3, 2026 Double Olympic champion swimmer Matt Richards has launched a new business that will help thousands of athletes find commercial backers. Sponza, Richards told City AM, has raised a six-figure sum at a seven-figure valuation ahead of its launch this week. The sports tech platform will allow athletes to connect with brands, with the aim of [...]
Private markets suffer ‘reality check’ as fundraising dries up February 3, 2026 Private markets fundraising fell to a decade low across Europe in 2025, after a slowdown in dealmaking and stuttering performance led major buyout shops to struggle to return cash to investors. According to a fresh analysis of the sector, a dearth of new mega fund raises and “persistent liquidity constraints” across the industry led fundraising [...]
Disney streaming gains momentum as Hollywood pressure builds February 2, 2026 Disney beat Wall Street expectations in its latest quarter, buoyed by an unexpected improvement in its streaming business, despite rising costs hitting the entertainment industry. The media giant reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.63 for its first fiscal quarter, ahead of estimates of around $1.56. Revenue rose five per cent year on year to [...]
Gold meltdown takes shine off speculative rally February 2, 2026 The 12th Century theologian Alain de Lille could be forgiven a chortle on his heavenly cloud after witnessing the latest rollercoaster in gold prices. “Do not hold everything gold that shines like gold,” he warned over 800 years ago, a warning that many traders failed to heed in the latest speculative rally. Last Thursday the [...]
FTSE 100 hits fresh record after gold and silver rout February 2, 2026 The FTSE 100 hit a fresh record on Monday despite being swept up in a global sell-off of metals and tech stocks that had pushed Asian and European stock markets deep into the red earlier in the day. The UK’s blue-chip index closed up 118 points to end the day at an all-time high of [...]
CAB Payments rejects ‘highly opportunistic’ Helios takeover bid February 2, 2026 London fintech CAB Payments has pushed back against another takeover proposal from African-focused private investment giant Helios. The firm – which was behind the “worst IPO of the year” in 2023 – has said the increased takeover proposal from a consortium led by Helios Investment Partners was “highly opportunistic” and undervalued the company’s future. Helios [...]
GB Snowsport chief: City execs should sponsor Winter Olympics athletes, and go skiing with them February 2, 2026 “If you know our British world champions, put up your hands,” GB Snowsport chief executive Vicky Gosling said at the organisation’s annual corporate bash last year. No one raised their hands. “And it’s really sad,” she tells City AM, “because [despite] no snow and mountain ranges, we have unbelievable talent.” Team GB head to the [...]
‘They don’t bring anything’: World Cup boycott talk rebuked by Fifa chief Infantino February 2, 2026 Fifa president Gianni Infantino has rubbished talk of nations staging a boycott of the 2026 World Cup over President Trump’s US administration. The debate has gathered momentum in recent weeks, with Infantino’s predecessor Sepp Blatter endorsing calls, following Trump’s attempts to annex Greenland. A close ally of Trump, the Fifa chief argued that sport should [...]
Sussex CCC forced to prove financial stability after ECB loan February 2, 2026 Sussex County Cricket Club will need to prove their financial stability to the England and Wales Cricket Board after entering into an agreement with cricket’s governing body. The three-year financial framework agreement will see the county receive a points deduction ahead of the 2026 season, a suspended fine of £100,000, and a further suspended points [...]