FTSE 100 Live: Stocks slip; Justeat caught in CMA crackdown on reviews March 27, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Another pause has been slapped on Donald Trump’s pledge to “obliterate” Iranian power plants, should the nation not re-open the Strait of Hormuz. The President took to social media last night and said talks between the US and Iran were “ongoing” and “going very well,” [...]
THG shares soar as it swings back to profit in ‘coming of age moment’ March 26, 2026 THG shares soared on Thursday after the e-commerce firm swung back to profit, with pre-tax earnings exceeding market expectations. The London-listed beauty and nutrition retailer posted profit after tax of £54.1m for 2025, turning around a loss of £326m the previous year, helped along by pocketing £103m from the sale of ingredients business Claremont in [...]
FTSE 100 Live: OECD slashes UK growth prospects as inflation set to jump March 26, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The White House’s Press Secretary has said the US is “very close” to meeting its objectives in the Iran war, though offered no specific timeline on when the conflict could come to a close. But Iran’s foreign minister has said the country has “no intention [...]
‘Mortgage mayhem’: Banks’ rates soar past 5.5 per cent amid Iran war volatility March 25, 2026 The UK mortgage market has been flipped upside down with Brits facing higher prices to borrow in the short-term as the Iran war rattles the economy. The average five-year fixed deal for a homeowner has spiked to 5.54 per cent this morning, up from 4.95 per cent at the start of March, according to financial [...]
Iran mocks Trump’s peace talks as oil price takes sharp drop March 25, 2026 The Iranian regime has mocked claims from Donald Trump that talks to end the war were progressing as markets struggle to digest a mixed bag of messages. Tehran downplayed expectations of any immediate ceasefire, following emerging reports that the US had offered a 15-point ceasefire plan. The President said the US was in “productive” talks [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks soar as Trump claims ‘victory’ in Iran; Economists clash on inflation March 25, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Fresh figures this morning revealed inflation rose three per cent in the year to February 2026, unchanged from the 12 months to January 2026. Grant Fitzner said: “The largest upwards driver was the price of clothing, which rose this month but fell a year ago. “This was offset [...]
Revolut and Nationwide sharpen swords in battle to bank Britain March 25, 2026 The claws are out in the battle to bank Britain and in this week’s column Samuel Norman takes a look at the latest shots fired from Revolut and Nationwide. If you had ‘Graham Norton sitting on a horse’ on your banking bingo card, congratulations. The BBC chat show host has swapped his famous sofa with [...]
RAC could jump-start London’s IPO engine with bumper £5bn float March 24, 2026 London’s IPO market could soon come motoring back, led by a bumper £5bn float from RAC as the roadside assistance firm defies market uncertainty to press ahead with its listing plans. The West Midlands-based business, founded in 1897, has reportedly held preliminary meetings with prospective investors and fund managers, in the clearest sign yet that [...]
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 [...]
‘Crossroads’: Oil prices hold firm as markets sour on Trump’s peace talks March 24, 2026 The price of oil held firm on Tuesday morning as markets faced a “crossroads” following the latest bait-and-switch from President Trump amid the crisis in the Middle East. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, broke $100 again in early trading in Asia after a four per cent gain. Prices have dipped a touch but [...]