City AM’s 10 stock picks for 2026 January 1, 2026 2025 was a rollercoaster year for the stock market. Equity indices fell off a cliff in April when the unveiling of US president Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs spooked investors and triggered a widespread sell-off. They have since made a strong recovery, helped along by enthusiasm for the innovative potential of AI and the stocks [...]
FTSE 100 ends record year with close just below 10,000 December 31, 2025 The FTSE 100 closed just below the record 10,000 in the final trading session of the year on Wednesday after a last-minute surge fizzled out. After a record-breaking 41 new all-time highs this year, the index ended 2025 up 20.2 per cent at 9,931. At the beginning of trading, it looked as if the index [...]
2025: It’s been one hell of a year for UK business December 11, 2025 From political drama to market volatility, cyber attacks, takeovers and trade wars – 2025 has not been plain sailing. January: motor finance and angry farmers We began the year reporting on the exodus from the London stock exchange noting that 2024 had been the quietest year on record for new listings and we suggested that [...]
Mark Kleinman: Can Osborne usher in a golden era for HSBC? November 20, 2025 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City AM column Can Osborne usher in a golden era for HSBC? George Osborne’s words to his Chinese audience were clear: “Through the ups and downs, let’s stick together. Let’s stick together to grow our economies. Let’s stick together to make [...]
Who is ‘Drastic Dave’, the man sent to save Diageo? November 11, 2025 Diageo shareholders breathed a sigh of relief this morning after the FTSE 100 drinks giant unveiled the appointment of its new chief executive, Sir Dave Lewis. Shares rose 7.5 per cent in morning trading to 1,856 pence following the selection of the retail and consumer goods veteran, rebounding from their sharp drop last Thursday following [...]
FTSE 100 and S&P 500 circle record highs as US shutdown cools November 10, 2025 Global markets sprung back to life on Monday after AI jitters and the US government shutdown helped trigger widespread sell-offs last week. The S&P 500 – which tracks the 500 leading companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States – jumped over one per cent to 6,804.80p at Wall Street’s opening bell. The tech-heavy [...]
Guinness owner Diageo shares rocket after appointment of ‘Drastic Dave’ November 10, 2025 Shares in FTSE 100 drinks giant Diageo have rocketed after the appointment of a new chief executive with an impressive turnaround record. News of the appointment of retail and consumer goods veteran Sir Dave Lewis saw shares in the struggling giant rise 6.8 per cent in early morning trading to 1,845p, rebounding from their sharp [...]
Diageo shares slide on profit warning after weak Chinese demand November 6, 2025 Shares in FTSE 100 drinks giant Diageo have fallen after weak demand in China and the US hurt sales and profit expectations. The group said its operating profit growth was set to be in the low to mid single-digit range for the year to June 2026, down from its previous guidance of mid single digits. [...]
Mark Kleinman: Ovo’s quest for cash needs fresh spark October 23, 2025 Ovo’s quest for cash needs fresh spark Talk about losing its spark. For Stephen Fitzpatrick, the 2020 acquisition of SSE’s retail energy supply arm was a defining moment – a daring swoop by Ovo, the upstart utility he had founded, for a principal member of the sector oligopoly. It’s been far from plain sailing since: [...]
Whisky Business: Distillery tours saving the Scotch industry September 11, 2025 Whisky Business: City AM’s monthly look at the world of whisky. The 1980s were a particularly dark time in the history of the Scotch whisky industry. Throughout the decade, around a third of all Scottish distilleries closed their doors as demand dried up. Even well-established players were caught in the slump. Distillers such as Carsebridge, also [...]