House prices remain sluggish in ‘subdued’ property market September 1, 2026 House prices continued their sluggish run in August, gaining just 0.2 per cent on the previous month, as uncertainty caused by the Iran war and the upcoming Budget in October weigh on the market. The average UK house price grew by 1.6 per cent to £275,465 in the year to August, marking a slight improvement [...]
Business confidence climbs on consumer spending power August 28, 2026 Business confidence has risen to its highest level since March, as resilient consumers shrug off the impact of the Iran war and Budget-related speculation is kept to a minimum. According to the Lloyds Business Barometer, confidence among British firms rose four points in August to 53 per cent, the highest reading since the outbreak of [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 falls but Nasdaq soars after Nvidia sales boom August 27, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue chip index suffered heavy losses on Thursday, as murky US inflation data overshadowed Nvidia’s sales triumph. While headline inflation fell back, the Fed’s preferred measure – the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) – is still running hot at 3.7 per cent. Investors [...]
Mortgage rate hikes cost London homebuyers £35,000 August 27, 2026 The surging mortgage rates caused by the Iran war have forced the average London homebuyer to fork out an extra £35,500 for their deposit. The rising cost of borrowing caused by the Middle East conflict has meant that the average deposit in the UK is £18,400 higher than in January – though costs have risen [...]
‘Broken promises’: Burnham under fire on cost-of-living plans as energy bills set to surge August 26, 2026 Andy Burnham is facing pressure over his commitment to tackle the cost-of-living crisis as energy bills are set to jump again. Opposition figures have accused the Prime Minister of breaking Labour’s pledge to cut household energy bills, with one Tory figure dubbing the price hike “outrageous”. The price cap on bills is set to rise [...]
Gatwick takes ‘significant’ passenger hit from Iran war August 26, 2026 Gatwick has suffered a “significant” decline in passenger numbers as a result of the Iran war after airlines cancelled flights to the region and holidaymakers swerved destinations like Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. The UK’s second-biggest airport saw total passenger numbers drop by nearly five per cent because of the Middle East conflict, weighing on revenue [...]
As it happened: Antofagasta leads FTSE 100 rally; oil falls as US-Iran deal ‘close’ August 26, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue-chip index slipped on Wednesday morning, dragged down by oil majors BP and Shell, before recovering later in the day to be level with Tuesday’s close. Brent crude – the international benchmark – fell by more than two per cent on Wednesday to $86 [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 jumps in best streak since May; Vistry, Melrose lead risers August 25, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. The blue-chip index jumped on Tuesday to extend its best winning streak since May. Melrose Industries led the FTSE 100 after the completion of a probe into a chemical incident in California, while Vistry gained 18 per cent on the FTSE 250 after winning cash in [...]
As it happened: Stocks rally; US to unveil ‘economic D-Day’ Iran sanctions August 24, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 rallied on Monday afternoon following a brief slump in the early afternoon. Wier, Airtel Africa and Intercontinental Hotels Group led the index’s risers while Autotrader and Melrose Industries dragged on the index. The attention of investors is trained on the other side of the Atlantic, [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 rallies after JD Sports drags on blue chips; oil jumps again August 20, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 has slipped to a week low on Thursday, as JD Sports dragged on the index after warning on profit. The blue-chip index fell to 10,693 around midday, marking a 0.46 per cent drop on Wednesday’s close and a 0.7 per cent fall in the week [...]