FTSE 100 Live: Stocks rise as Bank of England tipped to hold interest rates FTSE 100 Live Welcome back to City AM‘s FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue-chip index jumped on Thursday’s market open ahead of the Bank of England’s interest rate call later today, when it is expected to leave rates unchanged. Investors will be watching closely for any indications that a hike is on the horizon. Last week, Governor Andrew [...]
Mike Ashley tightens grip on Hugo Boss as son-in-law made chair Retail Mike Ashley has tightened his grip on Hugo Boss after his son-in-law, the boss of Frasers Group, was made chairman of the German fashion house. Frasers, which Ashley founded as Sports Direct, has been vying for control of Hugo Boss for months, resulting in him toppling the chairman of its supervisory board, Stefan Sturm, earlier [...]
Gambling giant blames job cuts on Burnham high street crackdown Retail Ladbrokes owner Entain has hit out at Andy Burnham’s plans to shake up the high street as the gambling giant blamed the Prime Minister for its decision to cut 400 jobs. The group, which also owns Coral, has announced that it will cut about a fifth of the headcount of its global customer care team, [...]
WH Smith warns on profit again as discounting hits margins September 16, 2026 WH Smith has cut its profit target again after warning that intense discounting and “inflation headwinds” are hitting its bottom line. The convenience retailer had initially told investors it could make as much as £105m in pre-tax profit this year, before slashing the target to between £75m and £90m. On Wednesday, the group reduced its [...]
Barratt Redrow shares soar after UK’s biggest housebuilder trims targets September 16, 2026 Shares in Barratt Redrow soared after the housebuilder, the UK’s largest, trimmed its targets to deal with the “challenging” outlook that has faced the sector since the Iran war broke out. The FTSE 100 housebuilder said it is cutting back on spending and slashing costs to keep up with the surging building costs and slump [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 rises after inflation jump; oil supply in focus September 16, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. UK inflation has seen a fresh spike to 3.1 per cent in August, up from 2.9 per cent the month prior. The fresh print comes as Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil – holds around the $108 per barrel mark, near four-month highs. Industry data managed [...]
Wickes gains as Brits go budget in kitchen refurbs September 15, 2026 Wickes is benefiting from a slowdown in consumer spending as Brits switch to the value home improvement retailer and away from premium rivals, its boss has said. The FTSE 250 group posted a 2.1 per cent jump in revenue to £865m in the six months to June, buoyed by rising sales of big ticket items [...]
London-listed builder exits ‘challenging’ housing sector after property market slowdown September 15, 2026 A top listed construction firm has pulled out of the UK’s “challenging” housing sector after a slump in demand for new homes across the country. FTSE 250 firm Kier told shareholders on Tuesday that it is pulling all capital out of the residential property sector in a bid to “de-risk” its portfolio. The group’s pre-tax [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 slides as oil and AI weigh on markets September 15, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Investors were met with a volatile start to the week after rising tensions around oil and AI dampened market mood. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – held above $107 per barrel on Tuesday morning after worries around global supply ramped up on Monday. Saudi [...]
Barratt Redrow hopes to defy housebuilding gloom by splashing cash September 15, 2026 As some of London’s listed housebuilders take emergency measures to cut costs amid rising building costs and stagnant demand for homes, one firm is splashing the cash. Barratt Redrow, which will announce its full-year numbers on Wednesday, defied the miserly approach taken by its rivals earlier this summer when it said it will buy back [...]