Burnham and Trump strike UK-US defence AI deal September 22, 2026 Britain will link its military AI taskforce with its US counterpart under a new defence pact, deepening transatlantic tech ties as AI plays a growing role on the battlefield. The UK’s Defence Rapid AI Delivery Taskforce will work with the US Department of War’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office to accelerate the deployment of [...]
Prem Rugby announces record deal with key partner September 22, 2026 Prem Rugby this morning announced a record deal with ball provider Gilbert that took their partnership beyond 30 years. The agreement, confirmed ahead of this weekend’s opening round of fixtures, is the longest deal agreed between the two organisations. Its value was not disclosed. Prem Rugby’s Kelly Cooke said that “a partnership of this length [...]
‘Worryingly large’: Labour’s debt cost racks up to £200bn September 22, 2026 More than £200bn has now been spent on covering government debt since Labour came into power, official figures show, reflecting the pressure bond traders have put on public finances in the last two years. Analysis of public finances data by City AM shows that debt interest payable to the government’s lenders in bond markets since [...]
Kingfisher shares rocket after B&Q owner lifts profit target September 22, 2026 Home improvement group Kingfisher saw its shares rocket after the group lifted its profit target, despite summer heatwaves pushing down sales at B&Q. The FTSE 100 retailer, which also owns Screwfix, said it now expects to make a pre-tax profit of between £595m and £635m, having previously guided between £565m and £625m. Last year, the [...]
‘Dismal’: Blow to Healey as government borrowing overshoots by billions September 22, 2026 Chancellor John Healey has missed key targets on government borrowing ahead of his inaugural Budget after the UK borrowed more than economists forecast in August. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said borrowing in August was £18.3bn, which was about £3.5bn above a prediction by the Office for Budget Responsibility and overshot market predictions. The [...]
As it happened: Ineos suspends huge chemicals plants in Hull, RAC IPO breakdown September 22, 2026 Good morning from the City desk at City AM. Follow along here for all our coverage of the latest London Stock Exchange updates along with UK business news and analysis of the key trends shaping investor sentiment. Here’s a summary of some of our top headlines today: The liveblog has ended.No liveblog updates yet. Load [...]
Up for the cup: Chelsea captain Erin Cuthbert on her coffee side hustle, Ruby Alba September 22, 2026 Being captain of the team that has won the Women’s Super League eight times in the last decade might be enough to keep most people busy, but not Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert. Off the pitch, Cuthbert has her own coffee business, Ruby Alba, which she launched earlier this year in order to satisfy her entrepreneurial cravings [...]
Nscale vows stay in UK despite £35bn US stock market listing September 22, 2026 Nscale has vowed to keep Britain at the heart of its global expansion despite choosing New York over London for its blockbuster float, as the AI infrastructure firm looks to turn its UK base into an export hub for computing power. The Nvidia-backed firm believes jobs and expertise built in Britain can serve customers around [...]
Will our fiscal psychodrama never end? September 22, 2026 I’m sure it wasn’t always like this. There was a time, really not that long ago in the grand scheme of things, when trying to predict the contents of an upcoming Budget was limited to dedicated policy wonks and Westminster’s most dogged journalists. These days, fiscal speculation is a major occupation for several months of [...]
Finance chiefs lobby Healey to protect City from fresh tax grab September 22, 2026 City chiefs have warned against a tax grab on financial services and called on ministers to simplify Britain’s “byzantine” tax system, as fears mount that the Chancellor will use his maiden budget next month to launch another raid on the private sector. The Square Mile’s top industry body, TheCityUK, which counts the UK’s biggest banks [...]