UK businesses stall investments and cut headcount due to Iran war May 18, 2026 Over half of UK firms said they have halted investment and hiring plans due to the economic fallout of the Iran war, contributing to supply chain pressures and higher energy and fuel costs. According to new research from accountancy and advisory firm BDO, 57 per cent of 500 businesses with revenues between £10m and £500mn, [...]
Ryanair warns ‘weak’ airlines will go bust this year as fuel costs soar May 18, 2026 Ryanair’s finance boss has said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if some of the airline’s “weaker” rivals went bust later this year, as the Iran war spikes fuel costs. The Dublin-based budget carrier has insisted it is “confident” despite warnings of a jet fuel crisis, but US carrier Spirit Airlines shut down last month, and Ryanair [...]
Watches of Switzerland shares surge on record revenue as US demand soars May 14, 2026 Watches of Switzerland shares surged after the firm revealed record revenue growth, boosted by wealthy Americans flocking to luxury watches. The UK’s largest luxury watch retailer hailed a 13 per cent jump in revenue to £1.8bn in the year to May, as revenue climbed by 24 per cent to £1.2bn in its US market alone. [...]
UK businesses eyeing shift to ‘more predictable’ tax regimes May 14, 2026 UK businesses are considering relocating abroad for a more stable tax and regulatory landscape, according to new research from consulting and network Baker Tilly International. The group, in its annual mid-market survey conducted earlier this year, found that out of all nine markets and 1,500 business leaders surveyed, including in the US, China, and India, [...]
Housing market ‘still in grip’ of Iran war slump May 14, 2026 The UK housing market is “still in the grip” of an Iran war slump as higher mortgage rates and inflation fears weigh on buyer and seller demand. Brits are still holding back on buying homes as average house prices slip further, a market survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has revealed. The [...]
Pension fund snaps up cut-price government bonds amid Starmer sell-off May 13, 2026 One of the UK’s largest pension funds has jumped on the turmoil that speculation over Keir Starmer’s future has unleashed on the gilt market, scooping up government bonds at multi-decade low valuations. Standard Life has added to its holding of UK government debt, City AM understands, seizing on a sharp dip in the of the [...]
IEA warns of ‘record’ oil drawdown after ‘unprecedented’ Strait of Hormuz supply shock May 13, 2026 The West’s international energy watchdog has warned that oil stockpiles were being drained at a record rate last month as the US’s war in Iran continues to choke supply in an “unprecedented” supply shock. The International Energy Agency revealed that around 4m barrels of oil a day were tapped from back-up supplies in April, within [...]
London-listed defence contractors shed light on impact of wartime economy on City firms May 13, 2026 Two major London-listed defence companies shed fresh light on the sector’s performance during the current bout of geopolitical turmoil on Wednesday, offering insight into the reach of the war time economy into the City. FTSE 100 constituent Babcock International made it onto the top-tier share index’s leaderboard after it unveiled plans to return £200m to [...]
Vistry shares plummet as housebuilder pauses buyback and warns on inflation May 13, 2026 Shares in leading housebuilder Vistry have plummeted on Wednesday’s market open, after it warned of a “significant” profit hit and said the Iran war is spiking building costs. The housebuilding firm was the biggest faller on the FTSE 250 as its share price fell 11.5 per cent to 288p, leaving the stock down more than [...]
P&O Ferries hikes prices as Iran war puts holidays on brink May 10, 2026 Leading ferry operator P&O Ferries is saddling holidaymakers with up to £50 surcharges as the Iran war threatens to derail Brits’ summer holidays. P&O, which is owned by Dubai-based DP World, has said it will impose one-way surcharges of £27 per vehicle for its route between Hull and Rotterdam, meaning passengers will pay £54 more [...]