FTSE 100 shrugs off Israel-Iran strikes June 16, 2025 The FTSE 100 was unmoved by simmering tensions in Israel and Iran, despite reports that the UK was scrambling to send fighter jets, and conflict in the Middle East was on the brink of a significant escalation with US involvement. The UK’s leading index was up 0.2 per cent after the first hour of trading, [...]
Peel Hunt: City broker makes a loss amid economic headwinds June 16, 2025 Investment bank Peel Hunt faced the pinch of economic and market struggles in its latest financial year as cost-cutting measures took a chunk out of the firm’s bottom line. The City broker made a loss before tax of £3.5m, which the firm said was due to restructuring costs. But the company recorded a profit of [...]
FTSE 100 and sterling take a hit after Israel strikes Iran June 13, 2025 The FTSE 100 and pound tumbled Friday morning after Israel launched a flurry of strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear programme. The UK’s blue-chip index was down 0.6 per cent during early trading, led by a slump in the airline sector. BA parent IAG and low-cost airline Easyjet were down nearly four per cent following the crash [...]
FTSE 100 seals record high after shaking off investor nerves June 12, 2025 The FTSE 100 finally sealed a new record closing high on Thursday after falling a whisker short the previous two trading sessions. The UK’s flagship index rose 0.2 per cent to – besting March’s record of 8,871.31. The index also beat its previous intraday high after hitting 8,892.36 in afternoon trading. Endeavour mining topped the [...]
Will Pret a Manger’s IPO be a tasty treat for the City? June 12, 2025 There are few better ways to start the morning than with a bacon sandwich. Outside City AM‘s offices on Cheapside, a coterie of cafes and sandwich shops open at 6am to sate City workers’ cravings for the greasy, umami-rich bap. There is often a line stretching out the door at Greggs, which charges £3 for [...]
Could Pisces replace AIM, or will it crash and burn? June 12, 2025 The FCA’s rules on the new Pisces private market framework have been published. It’s now over to exchange groups to apply to become operators, with trading expected to commence before the end of the year. It’s hoped these new types of platform, which facilitate the trading of shares in private companies, will address a long-standing [...]
Bargain Britain: UK firms under siege by foreign takeovers June 12, 2025 The London Stock Exchange has suffered a bruising week as private equity firms and foreign giants continue to snap up British bargains. Markets were hit with a double blow on Wednesday after Canadian consultancy giant acquired engineering firm Ricardo and KKR returned with a final bid for GP Landlord Assura. Assura has recommended a cash [...]
Spending Review: Gilt yields dip in relief for Rachel Reeves June 11, 2025 Gilt yields fell in the minutes following the publication of the government’s Spending Review, paring back earlier rises and raising hopes the Chancellor had placated markets over her splurge on infrastructure, energy and healthcare spending. The 10-year UK government bond yield nudged down from 4.61 per cent to 4.55 per cent after the Spending Review [...]
FTSE 100 flirts with record high but falters once more June 11, 2025 The FTSE 100 once more narrowly missed on a record closing high on Wednesday after faltering in the final moments of the trading session. The UK’s flagship index edged up 0.13 per cent to 8864.35p. This brought it just short of March’s record close of 8871.31p. Housebuilders topped the morning risers with Persimmon and Barratt [...]
Gold tops euro to become central banks’ second favourite reserve asset June 11, 2025 Central banks now hold more gold than euros in the face of global trade tensions and volatile markets, according to a report produced by the European Central Bank (ECB), making it the world’s second largest reserve asset after the US dollar. Purchases of gold were twice as high in 2024 as the average seen over [...]