As it happened: Stocks shrug off stalling Iran peace talks; OBR warns Reeves June 2, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Markets were rocked yesterday after reports emerged from Iranian state media that Tehran was pulling out of peace talks with the US. A proposal that included a 60-day cessation of violence and a play to re-open the Strait of Hormuz has hung in the balance [...]
Inside Celonis, the German tech unicorn that won over a fifth of the FTSE 100 June 1, 2026 For a company valued at more than $13bn (£9.58bn), Celonis remains relatively unknown in Britain. Founded in Munich in 2011, the software company has become one of Europe’s most valuable private tech firms, with customers including AstraZeneca, ASOS, BMW and the UK Cabinet Office. The UK has become one of its three largest markets globally. [...]
Number of claims management firms halves after FCA clampdown June 1, 2026 The number of claims management firms authorised by the UK’s financial watchdog has nearly halved since the beginning of the decade after the regulator “raised the bar” for firms in the sector. A Freedom of Information request by financial services consultancy Broadstone revealed 483 claims management companies (CMCs) operate in the sector, compared with 942 [...]
Iran war triggers slump in selfies, ME Group warns June 1, 2026 Europe’s biggest photobooth operator has warned of a slump in selfies amid the fallout from the war in Iran. London-listed ME Group, which operates the Photo.me network of over 30,000 booths as well as an events selfie business, has reported a revenue decline as much as 17 per cent in the month of April alone, [...]
Easyjet fires back at ‘highly opportunistic timing’ as Castlelake weighs takeover bid June 1, 2026 Easyjet has fired back at speculation of a takeover, after reports emerged that private credit firm Castlelake was weighing a bid. The budget airline said it notes the “highly opportunistic timing” of a potential offer as it asserted its share price is “temporarily depressed due to the current situation in the Middle East and its [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 plunges as Iran pulls out of US peace talks; Mandelson files released June 1, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Oil has nudged a touch higher to $93 per barrel this morning as uncertainty continues to cloud any prospect of a peace deal in the Middle East. The latest peace proposal between the US and Iran was said last week to be awaiting on the [...]
Deloitte and KPMG challenge PwC’s iron grip on FTSE 100 clients June 1, 2026 For the first time in nearly eight years, three of the Big Four giants, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC, are locked in a dead heat for FTSE 100 client dominance. A boardroom reshuffle has loosened PwC’s iron grip on clients from London’s blue-chip index, forcing a historic three-way tie at the top of the FTSE 100 [...]
House prices will fall by two per cent this year – the most since the financial crisis June 1, 2026 House prices will fall by two per cent for the first time since the financial crisis this year, according to Savills, which warned mortgage hikes as a result of the Iran war had “fundamentally changed the outlook for the housing market”. The property giant was forced to revise down its property price forecast for 2026 [...]
Top banks urge Rachel Reeves to expand small business lending scheme May 29, 2026 Top UK banks are lobbying Rachel Reeves to beef up the government’s small business lending scheme in a bid to unlock more capital to be lent to firms. A letter penned by UK Finance – the banking industry body that represents the likes of Barclays, Lloyds and Natwest – has called for the Chancellor to [...]
As it happened: Stocks rise on Iran peace hopes; Asda and Ocado deal May 29, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. After investors kicked into sell-off mode on Thursday amidst spiking tensions as the US and Iran exchanged strikes, attention is quickly turning back to hopes of a peace deal this morning. US and Iranian negotiators are reported to have reached an agreement on a 60-day [...]