As it happened: Stocks slip as oil hits $100 following Houthi attacks on tankers Markets Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. Stocks slipped on Thursday morning as oil surged back to $100 per barrel for the first time since May. Brent crude barrelled up after the Iran-backed Houthis claimed to have attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea. The US last night launched its [...]
‘We are going to run out’: Mitie marks eleventh mega takeover of 2026 Markets Mitie’s takeover by rival facilities management group OCS marks the London Stock Exchange’s eleventh £1bn takeover so far this year, as the market continues to serve as a hunting ground for private buyers. OCS agreed to pay 218.5p per share and a final dividend of up to 3.1p. The offer price comes at a 44.7 [...]
Atlanta set for major economic boost as England World Cup fans spend Sport Business Atlanta is set to enjoy a major economic boost from England fans at the World Cup after Brits splashed the cash in Miami last week. Spending data from Revolut shows that UK customer spending in Miami was up 322 per cent on Saturday, when England beat Norway 2-1 to book a spot in tonight’s semi-final [...]
Sparking interest: Could utilities stocks power your portfolio? May 4, 2026 The FTSE 100 isn’t known as the flashiest of stock markets, lacking the might of the trillion-dollar tech stocks of the US or the glamorous luxury conglomerates of France. But what it lacks in shine, it makes up for in reliability, with the index reporting a 21.5 gain in 2025, its strongest calendar year performance [...]
Not everyone in the City is friends with Savvy the Squirrel April 27, 2026 Last week the government rolled out its industry-backed nationwide campaign to encourage more Brits to enter the stock market in a bid to revitalise the stock exchange. The ‘Invest for the Future’ campaign has employed Savvy the Squirrel to carry the message across the UK, in reminiscence of the Tell Sid adverts in 1986, with [...]
AJ Bell inflows surge after record customer growth April 23, 2026 One of the UK’s largest investment platforms recorded a surge in net inflows in its latest trading update after attracting an influx of new customers. AJ Bell reported a 42 per cent rise in net inflows during the second quarter of the financial year, jumping from £1.9bn in 2025 to £2.7bn. Gross inflows also hiked [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks slump as oil rises; Reeves tax hikes trigger borrowing boost April 23, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. An extended ceasefire may have been announced in the Middle East, but its left markets with major appetite for further peace before investor sentiment recovers. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – was trading back over the $100 mark on Thursday morning. [...]
Government launches Britain’s largest ever retail investing campaign April 23, 2026 The government has unveiled its industry-backed push to encourage households to plough their savings into the stock market, in what is set to be the largest retail investing campaign of its kind in Britain’s history. Starring a red squirrel called ‘Savvy’, the Invest for the Future campaign will seek to “drive a step change in [...]
‘Dragged out of the dark ages’: Investment industry welcomes risk warnings review April 9, 2026 The UK investment industry has welcomed the findings of the Risk Warnings Review, emphasising the need to remove the extremes-focused view on investing. The review, a study commissioned by the Chancellor as part of the Leeds Reforms, found that consumers’ perception of risk has seriously hindered investing in the UK, with the state of risk [...]
Wizz Air pounced on by short sellers as Iran war knocks profits March 11, 2026 Budget airline Wizz Air has been hit by a flurry of short-selling after it issued a profit warning over disruption caused by the Iran war, making it the UK’s most shorted company. The Hungarian airline, which is listed on the FTSE 250, had 9.59 per cent short interest last month but this has soared to [...]