Investor visa proposed by Labour-aligned think tank July 9, 2026 Investor visas should be offered to 100 applicants each year, who would offer £3m in an upfront cash injection in return for residency rights in the UK, a think tank favoured by Labour has said. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which has had a number of policy recommendations adopted by Labour, said the [...]
Terry Smith dubs weight-loss giant Novo Nordisk ‘investment disaster’ July 7, 2026 Star stockpicker Terry Smith has dubbed weight-loss giant Novo Nordisk an “investment disaster” less than two years after he dumped his entire Diageo stake over fears that GLP-1 users would ditch alcohol. The veteran investment manager, who runs the Fundsmith Equity fund, has said that he regrets his investment in the Danish pharmaceutical firm. “Novo [...]
Financial services activity ‘drops rapidly’ as investors alarmed by Burnham July 6, 2026 Business activity across the financial services sector – one of the chief drivers of economic growth across the UK – has dropped sharply as confidence slumps, according to a new survey. Financial services firms, including banks and insurers, said business volumes had nosedived in the second quarter of the year. While the net reading for [...]
As it happened: Stocks rise as oil lower; Iran threatens ‘forceful response’ over Strait of Hormuz July 3, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The rate of traffic flowing through the Strait of Hormuz is gradually picking back up in a major boost to the oil market. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – held steady at near $72 per barrel on Friday morning. It marked a similar level [...]
Tale of two cities: London leaps ahead in global finance but domestic growth stalls July 3, 2026 The City of London has cemented its dominance in international finance ten years on from the Brexit vote but faced sobering domestic growth that failed to match the momentum. The capital sees more international activity conducted than the next eight largest financial centres in Europe combined, according to a new report by New Financial. The [...]
Government intervenes on foreign takeover bids for UK defence firms July 2, 2026 Ministers have intervened in a flurry of foreign takeover attempts on British defence firms in the past year over concerns the bids posed a threat to national security, City AM can reveal. The government unit that scrutinises takeovers “called in” 24 proposed bids from foreign buyers between the first quarter of 2025 and the end [...]
As it happened: Stocks fall as US and Iran clash over Strait of Hormuz; Fed chair says inflation risk is easing July 1, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Oil prices are holding steady above $73 per barrel after days of heightened tensions between the US and Iran ahead of peace talks in Qatar. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – posted its biggest quarterly decline since 2020 for the second quarter of the [...]
Lloyds accused of debanking left-wing media outlet The Canary June 30, 2026 Lloyds Banking Group has been accused of debanking the left-wing news website The Canary in a move that has left the media outlet with “barely any funds”. The bank was slammed by the media firm on Tuesday for allegedly “withholding a substantial amount of our money” and debanking them after nearly a decade of use. [...]
As it happened: Stocks jump on defence and metals boost; Oil on track to shed a fifth on US-Iran peace hopes June 30, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Oil’s speed of decline has taken a hit this week as investors were forced to pause at the renewal of strike action between the US and Iran. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – was steadying above $73 per barrel, holding onto some of the [...]
How the SpaceX IPO revealed a ‘back door’ into Britain’s capital markets June 29, 2026 The UK’s public offer platform regime was rolled out as part of a package of reforms designed to get capital flowing into British companies. Now SpaceX has used it to raise funding in the biggest IPO of all time – in New York. Maisie Grice asks whether the changes are working as intended. In January, [...]