Monzo founder joins Anthropic as AI talent race heats up July 13, 2026 Monzo co-founder Tom Blomfield has joined Anthropic, as the US AI giant steps up its recruitment drive for senior tech leaders. Blomfield announced on Monday that he is taking a leave of absence from Silicon Valley startup accelerator Y Combinator to join Anthropic’s compute team, where he will work alongside co-founder Tom Brown on the [...]
Barclays and Lloyds back calls to digitalise UK markets and unlock £33bn boost July 13, 2026 Top financial institutions have rallied behind a new report calling for the government to accelerate the digitalisation of UK markets to deliver a £33bn annaul boost to the economy. The paper, backed by a 54-strong taskforce that includes the likes of Barclays, JP Morgan and Lloyds Banking Group, says the tokenisation of markets could add [...]
As it happened: Choppy day for FTSE 100 after Iran closes Strait of Hormuz as strikes ramp up July 13, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Markets are returning from the weekend to face another geopolitical shock after Iran confirmed it had closed the Strait of Hormuz once more. The narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea had slowly seen a pick up in traffic [...]
Apple sues Open AI accusing them of stealing ‘trade secrets’ July 11, 2026 Apple has accused Open AI and two of its former employees of stealing top secret information as the two biggest names in Silicon Valley prepare to compete in the consumer electronics market. The iPhone maker said in a lawsuit filed on Friday in a California federal court that the theft of its trade secrets was [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 slump as oil soars; Trump says Iran will be ‘hit hard’ tonight July 8, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Global markets are strapping in for a return to risk-aversion after the US and Iran traded strikes overnight following the breakdown of a peace deal in the Middle East. The US kicked off its “series of powerful strikes” late Monday night. The nation’s Central Command said the attacks [...]
Bank of England to relax capital rules despite warning of economic threats July 7, 2026 The Bank of England set out proposals to relax UK banks’ capital rules even as it sounded the alarm on the growing risk of multiple threats hitting the UK economy. In the latest meeting of the central bank’s Financial Policy Committee top officials said it would work with watchdogs on a package of “broad reforms” [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 rises to defy tech gloom; oil creeps up on fresh Iran tensions July 7, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Donald Trump warned the US will “finish the job” in Iran leaving investors unnerved as he renewed military threats following the funeral of Tehran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil – traded above $72 per barrel on the news, but [...]
Natwest boss becomes latest City figure caught in AI social media scam July 3, 2026 The boss of Natwest has become the latest City figure to be depicted in an AI scam across social media. Paul Thwaite – the chief executive of the FTSE 100 bank – was posted on X alongside journalist Emily Maitlis in a deepfake picture attempting to create a BBC radio interview. The picture was shared [...]
Will AI trigger the end of net neutrality? July 2, 2026 Since its inception, the internet has worked for one fundamental reason: net neutrality. This is the principle that internet carriers – broadband and mobile providers – must treat traffic equally, regardless of where it comes from. They cannot discriminate. This idea, noble in its intentions, was what spurred the enormous growth of internet services over [...]
UK banks’ digital ID bid is a game of optics – and the odds are not in their favour July 1, 2026 A digital ID row has dominated headlines in the last year, and banks are set to join the row. In this week’s column, Samuel Norman takes a look at what they might be in for. Britain’s banks have voluntarily thrown themselves into one of the most toxic culture wars of the decade. Few subjects evoke [...]