As it happened: FTSE 100 recovers after oil surge dampens mood; Strikes in the Strait of Hormuz July 14, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Oil prices are marching higher after the latest wave of military action in the Middle East following the US reinstating its blockade on imports from Iran. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – surged above $84 per barrel on Tuesday, bringing gains for the week [...]
Rachel Reeves to unveil next steps for ring-fencing reform at Mansion House July 13, 2026 Rachel Reeves will outline the next steps of her ring-fencing reforms at Mansion House on Tuesday, City AM can reveal, in what is expected to be one of her last acts in the Treasury. The Chancellor will launch a consultation to seek industry input on the implementation of a package of reforms announced in May, including the [...]
As it happened: Choppy day for FTSE 100 after Iran closes Strait of Hormuz as strikes ramp up July 13, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Markets are returning from the weekend to face another geopolitical shock after Iran confirmed it had closed the Strait of Hormuz once more. The narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea had slowly seen a pick up in traffic [...]
Businesses slam brakes on hiring over Burnham uncertainty July 13, 2026 The UK’s lofty tax bill and concerns surrounding the direction of an Andy Burnham premiership have led to a subdued jobs market, new research suggests, as employers pause hiring whilst they wait for further clarity on the likely incoming Prime Minister’s tax policies. Available jobs in London slumped five per cent in the second quarter [...]
UK economy tipped to stall as Iran war chokes growth July 12, 2026 The UK’s economy is expected to stall another month as the Iran war continues to choke growth and some industries face slowing output. Gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to have slipped again by 0.1 per cent in May, according to some economists. The UK’s growth update, delivered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) [...]
Strait of Hormuz ‘closed’ as Iran and US exchange strikes July 12, 2026 Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed as it trades fresh strikes with the US over the alleged unauthorised passage of a ship through the vital trade route. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Sunday morning that the waterway, which usually accounts for a quarter of the world’s maritime oil trade, will be [...]
The devastating prognosis for the UK’s public finances July 11, 2026 While much of the media obsesses over Nigel Farage’s fight with a man dressed as a bin, I have something more sobering to discuss as we kick off the weekend. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s report into fiscal risks and sustainability, published this week, is comfortably the most alarming yet. This is an annual review [...]
As it happened: Stocks rises as oil eases but Strait of Hormuz concerns ramp up July 10, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Markets are set to make a loss for the week after the conflict in the Middle East returned to full-blown military action this week. The FTSE 100 has shed over one per cent and is on course to close in the red for the week, even after breaking [...]
Rachel Reeves’ legacy of tinkering with the City is not enough, says Mel Stride July 9, 2026 Sir Mel Stride has branded Rachel Reeves’ legacy in government as mere “tinkering” with City reform as the top Tory predicted her successor will create a “hostile” environment for the banking sector. In an interview with City AM, the shadow Chancellor branded Reeves’ two-years in the Treasury as “managerial incrementalism,” adding it was “not enough”. [...]
As it happened: Stocks fall as oil creeps up; Trump to ‘finish job’ in Iran July 9, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has wiped out the recovery across global markets that had slowly took place over the last few weeks. The US and Iran exchanged further fire overnight, with America’s central command stating it had hit around 90 Iranian targets in [...]