As it happened: FTSE 100 drops; bonds sell-off cools but oil holds firm September 2, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 fell again on Wednesday as oil prices rose higher for the third consecutive session and keeping pressure on global markets. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – held around the $95 per barrel mark, securing it highest level since mid-July. It follows [...]
Gen-Z toymaker Jellycat pursues Home Bargains in latest copyright claim September 2, 2026 Jellycat has filed for a copyright claim against discount retailer Home Bargains, as the toymaker continues its tirade against retailers it claims are copying its trademark stuffed dolls. The British toymaker filed a copyright claim to the Patents Court against TJ Morris, the parent company of Home Bargains, as seen by City AM. Jellycat surged [...]
Tesco and M&S warn Burnham against Budget tax raid on retailers September 1, 2026 Top supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer have urged Andy Burnham to rule out a Budget tax raid on retailers, warning they are already facing “unsustainable” costs. The Retail Jobs Alliance (RJA), which represents retailers employing more than 1m people, has urged the Prime Minister not to prioritise pubs and bars over high [...]
SNP slammed for ‘mind-boggling’ food price cap plans September 1, 2026 The Scottish government has been criticised for its “mind-boggling” plans to impose price caps on major retailers operating in the country, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has published a draft bill for the policy, which has been dismissed as an “unnecessary exercise” by leading retailers. SNP leader John Swinney’s initial [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers weighs move to oust Hugo Boss chief September 1, 2026 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group is weighing up a move to oust a boardroom chair at Hugo Boss as it laid out fresh plans to grow its stake in the German fashion house. The retail group, which was founded by the British billionaire, told investors on Tuesday that it wants to control more than half of [...]
Bunzl: Inflation spike lifts FTSE 100 outsourcing firm’s revenue September 1, 2026 Distributor Bunzl saw a boost in its bottom line after the firm was able to pass on inflationary pressures to customers. The FTSE 100 outsourcing group recorded a three per cent rise in revenue to £5.93bn in the first half of the year, bolstered by commodity-driven price adjustments and growth across North American markets. Bunzl’s [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 slides as bound rout deepens; Oil jumps as Trump vows more strikes on Iran September 1, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The London market is returning from the Bank Holiday break to a fall as tensions in the Middle East are simmering over again leading to the price of oil moving higher. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – climbed over $91 per barrel on Tuesday, [...]
‘Big hitter’ Baldock readies Boots makeover August 31, 2026 As workers across the City return to their desks after the summer holidays, one executive is starting somewhere new. Alex Baldock, the former boss of Currys, will take his place as chief executive of health and beauty retailer Boots on Tuesday, City AM understands. The group, one of the UK’s biggest and best-known retailers, has [...]
Shein shapes up for cut-price IPO as dominance slows August 31, 2026 Shein will list in Hong Kong this week in a cut-price initial public offering following two previous failed attempts in London and New York. The Chinese retailer will begin trading in Hong Kong on Tuesday in a debut set to value the firm at around $27bn (£19.8bn), about a quarter of its highest private-market valuation. [...]
Lord Walker calls for Healey to cut business taxes August 30, 2026 Iceland boss Lord Richard Walker has urged Andy Burnham and John Healey to cut taxes for businesses and to stop focusing on the cost of living. Walker, who backed Labour at the last election, said Healey should ease costs for employers. The supermarket chief was the cost of living tsar under Sir Keir Starmer’s government [...]