Prudential names HSBC veteran Douglas Flint as new chair January 14, 2026 Prudential has tapped the former chairman of banking juggernaut HSBC Douglas Flint as its new chair. The London-listed financial services giant said on Tuesday Flint would succeed retiring Shriti Vadera, who has been in the post since January 2021. Flint served as HSBC’s chair from 2010 to 2017, following a stint as group finance director [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Shell and BP lead index near 10,000 amid oil tensions January 5, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM morning liveblog. The FTSE 100 kicked off the new year on the front foot marking an intraday high of 10,046.25p on Friday in the first trading session of 2026. Whilst it slipped back in later trading, strong performances across blue-chip heavyweights including Rolls-Royce and Fresnillo, led [...]
Eastern Airways: UK regional airline suspends operations October 28, 2025 Eastern Airways has cancelled all of its flights, with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announcing that it has suspended operations. Travellers booked onto upcoming flights have been warned not to go to the airport, with the CAA urging passengers to “make their own alternative travel arrangements via other airlines, rail or coach operators”. The airline [...]
Silver prices tail off after hitting first record in four decades October 15, 2025 Silver prices retreated on Tuesday after hitting their first all-time high in over 45 years, as supply fears and a short squeeze added momentum to a year-long rally spurred by investor fears over government debt levels and sticky inflation. On a historic day of trading, spot prices for the precious metal broke $53 an ounce [...]
City watchdog unveils plans to support tokenisation as it pursues further growth October 14, 2025 The City watchdog has set out fresh plans to support tokenisation as it ploughs ahead with its growth agenda. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) unveiled guidance that provides firms and asset managers clarity on how to adopt the technology effectively in order to boost competitiveness and increase the amount of choice for consumers. Tokenisation allows [...]
French borrowing costs surge as political crisis deepens October 6, 2025 French assets suffered at the hands of a brutal sell-off on Monday, after the country’s latest prime minister resigned just a month into the role, exacerbating an already grave political crisis. French stocks tumbled across the board while government borrowing costs climbed sharply to their highest since 2011, after newly appointed prime minister Sebastien Lecornu [...]
US government shutdown to delay crucial economic data October 2, 2025 The United States government shutdown has caused federal statistics agencies to stop producing economic reports, sparking fears Federal Reserve officials will be deprived of crucial data in the run-up to one of the most eagerly anticipated interest rate decisions in recent history. Funding for America’s federal services and government departments was halted on Wednesday, causing [...]
Thames Water: Creditors set out rescue plan with £20.5bn investment September 3, 2025 A consortium of Thames Water creditors have laid out plans for how a £20.5bn investment would “fix the foundations” of the UK’s biggest water supplier. The group of 15 investors, known as the London & Valley Water consortium, are set to focus on improving the firm’s record on pollution and sewage leaks – with an [...]
How the banking net zero fantasy ran out of gas August 20, 2025 Over the past year, the world’s biggest banks‘ net zero enthusiasm has quickly and quietly dried up. Top lenders have backtracked, diluted or outright abandoned their environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies. The return of President Donald Trump has been highlighted as a turning point for green finance with firms across the financial industry turning sour [...]
Calm heads make a welcome return to ESG debate July 2, 2025 In May 2022, HSBC’s head of responsible investing, Stuart Kirk, took to the stage at a City conference and did something extraordinary; he criticised the financial services industry’s obsession with climate change. With a degree of candour that would ultimately cost him his job, Kirk said “I feel like it’s getting a little bit out [...]