Stamp duty on shares is ‘biggest handbrake’ says UK bank chief August 13, 2026 The boss of a London-listed bank and former Labour party donor has called for stamp duty on shares to be ditched in the Autumn Budget to boost trading from retail investors. Ian Corfield, the boss of Secure Trust Bank, told City AM one of the firm’s “biggest challenges is trying to generate liquidity into the [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 drops as Antofagasta prompts miner sell-off; oil prices cool August 13, 2026 Welcome back to City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 dropped on Thursday morning, as the mining sector dragged on the blue-chip index. Antofagasta has fallen furthest, by nearly five per cent, after investors pounced on a production shortfall and cut to full-year guidance disclosed in its update this morning. This spook has weighed on the [...]
Airtel and Sumup set to kick off London’s fintech IPO test August 12, 2026 Airtel and Sumup are set to hand a potential $20bn boost to the London Stock Exchange with long-awaited IPOs that could help pave the way for a host of fintech firms to come to market. Telecommunications giant Airtel is planning to list its mobile money business in London before the end of the year, its [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 falls as Iran and US clash over Strait of Hormuz; Oil stockpiles ‘rapidly depleting’ August 12, 2026 Welcome back to City AM liveblog. Oil prices broke above $89 per barrel on Wednesday morning, notching the sixth consecutive sessions amid mixed signals around a potential deal between the US and Iran. The regime in Iran has said that the United States must end the war before they loosen their grip on the Strait of [...]
As it happened: Stocks jittery as oil nears $90; Trump ‘semi-negotiating’ with Iran August 11, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Oil prices are marching higher for the fourth consecutive session, supported by new uncertainty between the US and Iran and continued agitation over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – was holding above $87 per barrel on Tuesday [...]
As it happened: Intel, Arm shares slide; Oil climbs higher August 10, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Oil is starting the new week higher and making its third consecutive session for gains after optimism for a peace deal between the US and Iran stalled over the weekend and uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz persisted. Donald Trump has said the US is “low-keying it” with Iran, [...]
JD assembles Ikea chair after rocky period for retailer August 7, 2026 The former boss of Ikea has been named as JD Sport’s new chair following a tumultuous period for the retailer. Peter Agnefjäll, who spent more than two decades at the Swedish home furnishing brand, is set to succeed Darren Shapland as the chair of JD from the beginning of September. Shapland was appointed to the [...]
As it happened: Stocks rise despite new tensions in Strait of Hormuz; Oil price climbs August 7, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. New tensions in the Strait of Hormuz this morning are leaving markets on edge and handing a blow to earlier optimism around a peace deal between the US and Iran. Oil is moving higher, reversing some of the drawback from the beginning of this week, after an attack [...]
WPP slashes jobs as revenue continues to fall August 6, 2026 Embattled advertiser WPP slashed jobs in the first half of the year as its revenue continued to fall. The London-listed media group cut another 1,267 employees in the first half, around 1.3 per cent of its total staffing. Across the 12 months to June, WPP has now slashed its total workforce by 6.4 per cent [...]
As it happened: Stocks fall into red as oil fluctuates over Middle East developments August 6, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Oil prices have fluctuated around the $80 mark over the last 24 hours following mixed developments coming out of the Middle East. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – was heading towards $79 per barrel on Thursday morning, holding up a near 10 per cent [...]