The UK is being “dragged into” Iran war says Badenoch March 21, 2026 Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said the UK is being “dragged into” the Iran war “whether we like it or not” after the nation fired missiles at joint UK-US base. Badenoch argued Starmer can longer “sit on the fence” after the attempted strikes on Saturday morning, before criticising him for not backing the US to [...]
Energy watchdog: Work from home and avoid flying amid oil crisis March 20, 2026 The world’s energy watchdog has urged people to work from home to mitigate soaring oil prices and supply constraints caused by the intensifying Iran conflict. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said people should limit commuting where possible as the impact on markets and national economies becomes “more and more severe”. The advice was part of [...]
Bank of England Live: Interest rates held in first unanimous vote in eight years March 19, 2026 Welcome back to City AM‘s ongoing coverage of the interest rates decision. Interest rates have been held as rate-setters at the Bank of England warned the war in Iran could send prices spiralling as soon as April. In the first totally unanimous vote in eight years, all members of the Monetary Policy Committee voted to [...]
Sun, money and missiles: The dilemma facing British lawyers in the UAE March 19, 2026 The United Arab Emirates (UAE) ranks among the most popular international destinations for British lawyers, to say nothing of influencers, but has the Iranian war burst the bubble? Based on the latest reports from the Law Society and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for 2025 and early 2026, there are around 500 to 700 English [...]
‘Panic mode’: FTSE 100 sinks as oil spikes on Iran’s energy threats March 18, 2026 Markets were thrown into “panic mode” on Wednesday as the surging price of oil rattled global equities. The price of Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil – spiked as much as five per cent to $110 per barrel as energy facilities across the Gulf faced evacuation following the latest threats from Iran. The [...]
Trump is in need of a scapegoat – look out Keir Starmer March 17, 2026 Per the Trump playbook, the US President will promptly be in search of a scapegoat over Iran. Starmer better prepare, writes Michael Martins.
Brits fleeing Dubai could trigger ‘surprise’ UK tax bills March 16, 2026 British expats returning to the UK from the Middle East over safety concerns as a result of the war in Iran could face “hidden tax costs”. The British expat population in the UAE is among the largest outside the UK, with estimates of 130,000 to 240,000 British nationals living and working in Dubai and Abu [...]
‘Pressure point’: Oil prices spike as Trump turns up heat on Nato March 16, 2026 The price of oil spiked once more as trading for the new week began after Donald Trump ramped up pressure on his Nato peers to help get supply flowing. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, jumped 2.9 per cent as trading open after the weekend to near $106.12 a barrel, but later gave [...]
On the Beach shares tumble as it tears up guidance amid bookings slowdown March 12, 2026 On the Beach has torn up its guidance for the forthcoming year after warning that tensions in the Middle East have sparked a sharp slowdown in bookings. The online travel agent previously forecast pre-tax profit of between £39m and £43m. “Whilst the group has limited exposure to destinations in the Middle East, it has experienced [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Iran war ‘certainly not good’ for UK economy, says Rachel Reeves March 11, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog for continued coverage of a frenzied week in global markets. The Chancellor has told the Treasury select committee that the ongoing fallout from the Middle east is “certainly not good for the British economy”. Following the “most intense” day of fighting in the region – and just a [...]