US tech stocks tumble after data centre setback sparks investor concerns December 18, 2025 US tech stocks fell on Wednesday after news that software company Oracle had lost a key backer for its data centre project, reigniting investors’ concerns about AI companies’ spending. The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 1.8 per cent to $22,693.32 (£ 17,975.06), finishing at its lowest level since late November, while Oracle fell 5.4 per cent to [...]
‘High valuations alone rarely end a rally’ say UBS analysts on AI stock surge December 17, 2025 The rapid rise in the share prices of AI-adjacent stocks could continue well into 2026, analysts at one of Europe’s top banks have said. Valuations of top tech stocks have been running hot since the start of the year as investors rushed to build a stake in the burgeoning technology, with the US S&P 500 [...]
Shoosmiths to give staff extra £1m after hitting AI target December 16, 2025 Law firm Shoosmiths will give staff an extra £1m in bonuses after they hit the firm’s annual target for 1m Microsoft Copilot prompts more than four months ahead of schedule, City AM can reveal. The firm told City AM in April that it had set a “clear and ambitious annual target” of 1m on its [...]
US puts UK tech deal on ice after Budget digital tax move December 16, 2025 Washington has paused the flagship US-UK tech pact just weeks after Rachel Reeves doubled down on Britain’s digital services tax in her Autumn Budget, sharpening fears that the levy has become a pressure point in wider trade talks with Trump’s administration. The so-called Tech Prosperity Deal, unveiled during Trump’s state visit back in September and [...]
Starling revs up Engine with City hiring spree December 16, 2025 Starling is motoring into 2026 with its foot firmly on the pedal, injecting a fresh pump of gas into the group’s technology arm. The UK fintech veteran is planning to shift its software-as-a-service (Saas) banking platform into top gear with a major hiring spree across London. The platform, known as Engine, is a subsidiary of [...]
Mark Cuban and NBA stars join £3m raise for Irish sports tech firm December 15, 2025 Billionaire investor Mark Cuban and several current NBA stars have backed a $4m (£3m) fundraising round for Irish sports tech company Orreco. They join major-winning golfers Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell as investors in Orreco, which uses AI to analyse athletes’ movement for signs of injury susceptibility. “This is the first proactive approach to use [...]
Ofcom targets BT and Three as summer outages exposed emergency call risk December 15, 2025 The UK’s telecoms regulator has launched investigations into BT and Three after network failures this summer left customers unable to make calls, including to the emergency services. Ofcom said on Monday that the probes will assess whether the two operators complied with their legal dutiesm after separate incidents caused nationwide disruption. Telecoms giant BT notified [...]
F1 fans left furious after Viagogo ticket failure December 15, 2025 Dozens of Formula 1 fans who spent enormous sums, including one couple who spent £16,173, have been left furious after Viagogo tickets failed to deliver promised entry to the Abu Dhabi post-race concerts, City AM understands. The concerts – headlined by Benson Boone, Metallica, Post Malone and Katy Perry – were explicitly advertised on the [...]
What could digital exams mean for British pupils? December 12, 2025 By the end of the decade, British pupils could be swapping pens for keyboards in GCSE and A Levels, marking the biggest change to exams in a generation. Ofqual has launched a 12-week consultation on regulating on-screen assessments, showing that digital exams are no longer a distant idea. Under the proposals, each exam board would [...]
‘It probably could do my job’: New ChatGPT model catches up with junior bank analysts December 12, 2025 OpenAI introduced a new ChatGPT model on Thursday, which they claim is the first to outperform human experts. The software, GPT-5.2, is specifically designed for professional use and was tested using tasks which would typically be assigned to a junior analyst at an investment bank. These included putting together a three-statement model for a Fortune [...]