France’s coming bond crisis is a test for Europe’s double standards Opinion As Greek government bonds yield lower interest than France’s, the Eurozone faces a critical test over whether European institutions will enforce fiscal rules consistently or protect politically influential member states, says Tim Focas If someone had told investors during the eurozone debt crisis of 2012 that Greece would one day borrow more cheaply than France, [...]
UK state growing at faster pace than France after spending splurge and tax hikes Economics The size of the British state is growing by a larger amount than any other G7 nation apart from Germany since the pandemic in 2020, figures on government spending from the International Monetary Fund have shown. The IMF’s latest report on countries’ fiscal outlook shows that UK government spending is set to rise by 5.2 [...]
Midday Markets: The UK economy is a juxtapo-Britain Analysis The Midday Market report is a new newsletter from City AM, giving you fresh analysis on the biggest stories in the City straight into your inbox every lunchtime. Today, Ali Lyon weighs up what Tuesday’s IMF report says about the state of the UK economy. Sign up to the City AM News Updates newsletter here. [...]
G7 agrees to release diesel reserves after crisis meeting October 2, 2026 Leaders from the G7 have agreed to tap into 100m of diesel and oil from their reserves in a bid to stave off a soaring supply crisis and end an escalating feud between the Euope and the US. The club of wealthy democracies said on Friday that they would work with the International Energy Agency [...]
Diesel crisis: UK minister holds emergency talks with US energy secretary October 2, 2026 Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is holding crunch talks with her American counterpart about an escalating diesel spat that has seen Treasury secretary Scott Bessent urge Europe to release emergency reserves “immediately”. City AM understands that Fahnbulleh is in direct contact with US energy secretary Chris Wright to discuss a US move to potentially choke off [...]
‘Not sustainable’ – French borrowing costs soar amid Budget and election uncertainty September 30, 2026 France is facing a period of acute bond market stress that could last several years unless the presidential frontrunners for next year’s election commit to tackling its gaping deficit, analysts have warned. The difference between French and German government borrowing costs – a key metric used to determine French debt risk – widened beyond 120 [...]
Why it could now cost more to sack an executive in the UK than FRANCE September 17, 2026 Labour’s overhaul of employment rights, particularly the removal of the unfair dismissal compensation cap, could leave British businesses facing a higher bill for dismissing executives than their European counterparts. As the government pushed its Employment Rights Bill into law, it ditched the £118,000 compensation limit on unfair dismissal claims to appease unions after the House [...]
The Bayeux Tapestry is British – we should keep it September 3, 2026 Despite its name, the Bayeux Tapestry is British…and it should therefore be kept permanently in the British Museum, argues James Ford I have a big problem with the Bayeux Tapestry. Firstly, it is not a tapestry, it is an embroidery. Secondly, it was not made in Bayeux. Historians believe it was stitched and sewn in [...]
From crown jewel to €180m courtroom battle: The investor revolt targeting Atos July 14, 2026 A top Whitehall tech supplier that historically managed vast swathes of critical data for the NHS is at the heart of a €180m (£153m) shareholder class action over its near-downfall two years ago. Euronext-listed Atos was once a crown jewel of the French tech sector, acting as a major partner for the French military and [...]
Inside the trippy French vineyard owned by ousted Claridge’s billionaire July 3, 2026 Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst have designed pieces for Chateau La Coste, France’s totally surreal vineyard, the vision of the billionaire who formerly owned Claridge’s. Adam Bloodworth on the trippiest Provençal escape Resting on the side of a dirt road at Chateau La Coste, a vineyard and country estate half an hour outside of Marseille, [...]