We’re walking an economic tightrope and the wind is picking up Economics I spent much of my morning yesterday with a group of City chiefs for a candid (though unfortunately, off the record) chat about the health of our economy and the state of our politics. I feared that my stump speech about the perilous state of our public finances, our low growth rate, the ever-expanding state [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 rallies as economy beats forecasts; oil falls back FTSE 100 Live Welcome back to City AM’s FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue-chip index rallied on Friday after the economy beat forecasts in July, surprising those in the City who had expected to see growth peter out. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that the UK economy’s (GDP) grew by 0.4 per cent in July, [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 dives as oil marches to $106; Trump threatens long war FTSE 100 Live Welcome back to City AM’s FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue-chip index shed as much as 0.4 per cent on Thursday morning, as Associated British Foods’ 11 per cent dip cancelled out modest gains from London’s oil majors and consumer giants like JD Sports and Whitbread. Despite recent expectations that the Iran war is far [...]
Our debt addiction can only end in tears September 10, 2026 In December 2009, ratings agency Fitch downgraded Greek sovereign debt from A- to BBB+ following a dramatic few weeks in which the state of the country’s public finances were laid bare. By February, riot police in Athens were firing stun grenades and tear gas as they struggled to maintain public order. What followed was years [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 dives as oil prices surge past $100 in blow to inflation September 9, 2026 Welcome back to City AM’s FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue-chip index fell on Wednesday as oil prices reared up yet again, reaching six-week highs. Speaking late on Tuesday, Andrew Bailey caused fresh speculation that the Bank of England could hike interest rates when he said that risks to inflation remain “on the upside”. The [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 wavers as weak housebuilding drives faster construction downturn September 4, 2026 Welcome back to City AM‘s FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue chip index made a soft start on Friday morning, as investors brace for a US jobs report and digest the latest signs of a worsening downturn in the UK’s construction sector. Borrowing costs have eased slightly, after a global rout on government bonds threatened [...]
IMF sounds alarm on borrowing costs surge as bond rout deepens September 2, 2026 The global rise in borrowing costs is a “particular concern,” the International Monetary Fund has said, as UK bond yields reach a level last seen in the financial crisis. The yield on the 10-year UK gilt climbed four basis points on Wednesday morning to near 5.27 per cent, which followed the previous day’s rally that [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 drops; bonds sell-off cools but oil holds firm September 2, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 fell again on Wednesday as oil prices rose higher for the third consecutive session and keeping pressure on global markets. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – held around the $95 per barrel mark, securing it highest level since mid-July. It follows [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 jumps as oil falls back; Warsh says ‘work to do’ on inflation August 28, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue-chip index extended gains on Friday after some pressures in the oil market eased off. Oil prices reared back up on Thursday night, reversing days of losses earlier in the week. The price of Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil – jumped [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 falls but Nasdaq soars after Nvidia sales boom August 27, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue chip index suffered heavy losses on Thursday, as murky US inflation data overshadowed Nvidia’s sales triumph. While headline inflation fell back, the Fed’s preferred measure – the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) – is still running hot at 3.7 per cent. Investors [...]