FTSE 100 Live: Beazley seals $15bn Zurich deal, Santander in $12bn takeover February 4, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Shares in Europe’s biggest data, publishing and legal software groups slumped on Tuesday after AI giant Anthropic unveiled a new tool aimed directly at in-house lawyers. The move rattled investors who had long viewed the sector as an AI winner. In London, Relx fell close [...]
Exclusive: Starling’s top investor withdraws support for London IPO February 4, 2026 Starling’s elusive billionaire backer has gone cold on his ambition for the digital bank to list in London, City AM can reveal, in a move that will heighten fears of the fintech heading to New York for its highly-anticipated IPO. Harald McPike had lobbied for the group to launch its initial public offering in London [...]
Big banks bet on gold rally as metals channel meme stock February 3, 2026 It’s all over for doughnuts and cameras as social media’s retail investors set their sights on a new favourite investment meme. Precious metals’ start to 2026 has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. Gold rose 65 per cent last year, hitting multiple fresh records as geopolitical tensions flared. Investors flocked to the traditional safe-haven asset [...]
Insurance industry must do more to build consumer trust, says FCA deputy executive February 3, 2026 The insurance industry must do more to build consumer trust amid outdated practices and a flurry of corporate scandals, the boss of Britain’s financial regulator has said. Speaking at the annual Association of British Insurers conference, Sarah Pritchard, deputy chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), noted that despite ongoing innovation within the sector [...]
GDP set to soften in 2026 as tax hikes bite February 2, 2026 The UK is set for another year of soggy growth, according to new forecasts from EY, with the government’s tax hikes and ongoing worries about a global trade war hamstringing momentum. The Big Four firm predicted that GDP would rise 0.9 per cent in 2026, slower than the 1.4 per cent recorded last year, as [...]
Fitzwalter backs off Auction Tech after hostile bidding campaign February 2, 2026 Investment giant Fitzwalter has backed off Auction Technology Group after a hostile campaign between the two led to 13 different takeover attempts of the latter. The London-headquartered said on Monday ATG’s Board had unanimously rejected its proposed offer of 400 pence per share. The offer sat above the UK market median for similar cash transactions [...]
Scrapping stamp duty could boost investment in UK stocks February 2, 2026 Brits have called for the removal of stamp duty on UK shares in order to incentivise them to allocate capital into the London market. Three quarters of investors said that the scrapping of stamp duty on UK shares and trusts would prompt them to take more interest and potentially invest more, according to the latest [...]
UK dividends jump in the final financial quarter of 2025 January 29, 2026 UK dividends rose in the final quarter of 2025, lifted by better than anticipated payouts across a range of sectors. Dividends jumped 1.3 per cent on a headline basis to £14.3bn, according to the latest dividend monitor figures from financial services company Computershare. Regular dividends, excluding one-off special payments, rose to £13.9bn, up 2.1 per [...]
Podcast group Goalhanger nets US investor backing January 28, 2026 US-based investment firm The Chernin Group (TCG) has taken a minority stake in Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger Podcasts, becoming the first outside investor in the podcasting giant. The investment will support Goalhanger’s “next phase of growth”, which includes accelerating its expansion into the US and developing new IP from its hit shows. The transaction was completed [...]
Private market allocations reach record high as investors pump in £4.7 trillion January 28, 2026 Global private market allocations from institutional investors have reached record highs, with many planning to increase their allocations over the next few years. Private markets have risen to represent 12.5 per cent of overall portfolio allocations, accounting for $6.5 trillion (£4.7 trillion) of assets under management, according to the latest study from Aviva Investors. North [...]