BBC to broadcast Alexis Ohanian co-founded all-female athletics series Athlos August 7, 2026 The BBC will broadcast the Alexis Ohanian co-founded all-female athletics meet Athlos when it heads to London next month. The event, one of a number on a series funded by the Reddit co-founder, will land at Prem Rugby team Saracens’ Stone X Stadium in September with the likes of Keely Hodgkinson, Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas [...]
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 [...]
Sorry Hearn, Northampton Saints idiots if they pay Pollock £1m August 7, 2026 Is Henry Pollock worth £1m per season? No. Sorry to burst an Eddie Hearn-shaped bubble but it is just not realistic in the world of rugby union. The business of rugby – especially in England – is to fund a squad of more than 30 players within a salary cap of just over £6m, rising [...]
Apollo snaps up Easyjet after Castlelake walks away August 6, 2026 Easyjet has agreed a £5.7bn takeover deal with Apollo after rival bidder Castlelake pulled out of the bidding process. In a joint announcement with the low-cost airline on Thursday, the American private markets juggernaut said it had “reached an agreement on the terms and conditions of a recommended cash acquisition”. The offer has the backing [...]
Citi chief’s cowed Trump comments reveal corporate America’s tightrope August 6, 2026 Citi has become a favourite of President Trump during his second term. Chief executive Dame Jane Fraser’s comments in London yesterday may show why, writes Charlie Conchie I sat across the table from Citi’s boss Dame Jane Fraser yesterday as she delivered a blistering warning to Andy Burnham and the new Labour government. For an [...]
How sevens and Olympics can be commercial rugby lifeline August 6, 2026 Dan James argues that rugby sevens is a developmental step for some of the best players, and that can be a boon for a struggling sport. The rugby rumour mill has been turning again, as reports have circulated over the last fortnight that some of England’s young stars – Henry Pollock, Marcus Smith, Tommy Freeman, [...]
Competition watchdog clears Paramount Warner Bros acquisition August 6, 2026 The UK competition watchdog has cleared the merger of Hollywood heavyweights Paramount and Warner Bros after concluding it does not pose an issue to competitiveness in the UK. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed it would not investigate the matter further on Wednesday, as it did not “give rise to a realistic prospect of [...]
UK debt ‘hits £3 trillion’ milestone August 6, 2026 The size of the UK’s national debt has now risen above £3 trillion, analysis has suggested, reflecting the burden facing taxpayers across the country. A tracker by a rightwing campaign group and think tank has suggested that national debt had reached the long-awaited milestone after an explosion in spending since 2020. The Taxpayers’ Alliance based [...]
Hiscox finance chief: London’s AI adoption is too slow August 6, 2026 Hiscox group chief financial officer Paul Cooper takes us through his career in insurance in this week's Square Mile and Me.