Government borrowing costs soar as Iran war drags on Markets The government’s borrowing costs have risen to their joint highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, after a sharp jump in the oil price prompted a sell-off in UK debt because of concerns over inflation. The yield on the 10-year gilt – the main benchmark for any government’s long-term ability to borrow – climbed back [...]
It’ll take more than a squirrel to revive share ownership: cut stamp duty Opinion The government can’t promote investing in stocks and shares with one hand while taxing it with the other, says Steven Fine There is something faintly surreal about the government launching Savvy the Squirrel to encourage people to invest in shares while taking a record haul in tax from those who already do. The latest public [...]
Chip makers and defence contractors power profit upgrade for London tech stock Renishaw Tech London-listed engineer Renishaw upped its profit guidance on Monday, sending its shares to the top of the FTSE 250, helped by demand from defence contractors and chipmakers. The Gloucestershire-based precision tech firm is known for its precision equipment used in the lithography process of making microprocessors. On Monday, it pointed to “a substantial expansion” of [...]
Bank of England could cut interest rates ‘if war ends’ April 15, 2026 The Bank of England could cut interest rates this year if the war in Iran ends and the Strait of Hormuz opens up within weeks, an economist at a City broker has said. Peel Hunt’s chief economist Kallum Pickering’s current assumption is that the Bank makes two interest rate cuts at the end of this [...]
London’s top 2025 listings tumble in blow to IPO revival hopes April 7, 2026 London’s biggest listings in 2025 have all tumbled since the start of the year, dealing a blow to hopes of a revival in the capital’s lacklustre IPO market. The five biggest floats from last year slumped by an average of 26 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, according to a City AM analysis, [...]
London IPO market may yet recover in 2026, Peel Hunt says March 19, 2026 The London IPO market could still see a revival before the end of the year, according to City broker Peel Hunt, as a number of blue chip firms wait patiently for geopolitical tensions to die down before firing the starting gun on their own floats. Brian Hanratty, head of equity capital markets at Peel Hunt, [...]
Iran war: Independent pubs face ‘devastating’ energy costs March 17, 2026 Independent pubs could be left vulnerable to spikes in energy costs caused by the Iran war, while their larger competitors enjoy the security of fixed energy deals. Landlords across the UK could face “devastating” costs if energy prices continue to rise, trade body UKHospitality has warned. Blockages to the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping [...]
THG rises after revenue beats top end of guidance January 13, 2026 THG shares rose on Tuesday after the e-commerce business boasted a surge in second-half revenue amid a rise in Christmas season demand. The Manchester-based business, known for its wellness and beauty brands like Myprotein and Lookfantastic, said its second-half revenue came in around 14 per cent ahead of the top end of its guidance, led [...]
Huge development in the West End gets green light December 10, 2025 A huge new commercial project to redevelop 33 Cavendish Square, just off Oxford Street in the West End, has been granted planning permission by Westminster City Council. The redevelopment is set to deliver 800,000 sq ft of much-needed, grade A office space to the West End. John Bushell, principal at architects KPF, said he was [...]
Markets responded positively to Budget, says Peel Hunt chief December 1, 2025 The boss of one of London’s best-known investment banks has shrugged off concerns over the Budget, suggesting that the tax-raising plans pleased financial markets. Peel Hunt CEO Steven Fine said markets viewed the state of the UK’s finances as “quite stable” following the Budget, pointing to a rise in the government’s fiscal headroom which helped [...]