Wetherspoon to reveal Christmas trading amid challenging backdrop for pubs January 18, 2026 Pub giant JD Wetherspoon is set to shed light on how its customers fared over the key Christmas period amid a backdrop of rising costs for the sector. The value pub chain, which runs around 800 venues across the UK, will become the latest firm to reveal its latest trading performance when it updates shareholders [...]
Exclusive: Rachel Reeves to lead start-up delegation at Davos January 16, 2026 Rachel Reeves will lead a delegation of entrepreneurs in charge of some of Britain’s fastest growing start-ups to the World Economic Forum in Davos next week, City AM can reveal. The troupe of UK-based founders will join the Chancellor and business secretary Peter Kyle in the Swiss Alps as part of a concerted push by [...]
AJ Bell boss: Rachel Reeves ISA reforms ‘doomed to fail’ January 16, 2026 The chief executive of a top investment firm has issued a scathing broadside against the Chancellor’s proposal to restrict cash ISA limits. In a letter seen by Sky News, AJ Bell chief executive Michael Summersgill wrote to Rachel Reeves that efforts to push Brits towards investing with limits on cash savings are “doomed to fail”. [...]
UK growth spurt due to ‘payback for earlier weaknesses’ January 16, 2026 The UK economy’s growth spurt in November was just a recovery from “earlier weakness” after hits to Jaguar Land Rover’s production lines and “ongoing” problems with data calculations” weighted on earlier readings, top analysts have warned. Data published on Thursday morning showed the UK economy inched up 0.3 per cent in November despite expectations of [...]
UK economy grows more than expected but remains ‘fundamentally weak’ January 16, 2026 The UK economy grew more than expected in November last year but remained “fundamentally weak”, official data has shown, reflecting businesses’ nerves about Rachel Reeves’ Budget measures. New Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed growth in the UK economy inching up. Business analysts warned over several months that pre-Budget speculation had dampened spending and [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks fall as oil takes hit; YouTube, BBC strike deal January 16, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. How big of a win was yesterday for Rachel Reeves? The economy grew 0.3 per cent in November – faster than expected – as Jaguar Land Rover roared back to life following a costly cyberattack that halted supply chains across the UK. But while this [...]
UK jobs at risk from ‘over-reliance’ on China January 16, 2026 Tens of thousands of jobs in high-growth sectors are feared to be at risk due to the UK’s trading reliance on China, researchers have warned. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), a left-leaning think tank that has shared a close relationship with senior Labour figures, has warned that around 90,000 jobs are at the [...]
Khan urges Reeves to bring back tax-free shopping January 15, 2026 Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to bring back tax-free shopping for tourists to drive public revenue gains. Khan has lobbied the Treasury to re-introduce VAT-free shopping for visitors more than four years after the previous Conservative government scrapped the perk. Conservative City Hall member Thomas Turrell raised the issue of tourism [...]
Starmer in dire straits as British voters pessimistic on almost every issue January 15, 2026 Leaders rarely fail because of a single decision. Starmer's problem is that voters are pessimistic on almost every major measure.
Oxford Biomedica share prices jumps after takeover talks January 15, 2026 Oxford Biomedica’s share price has rocketed in early morning trading after Swedish private equity firm EQT entered takeover talks for the gene and cell therapy group. Shares jumped 10.65 per cent to 889 pence, with shares rocketing 121.4 per cent over the past year. The FTSE 250 company said it has received an unsolicited approach [...]