AI and defence demand for chips sends IQE shares soaring January 12, 2026 Shares in semiconductor giant IQE surged 25 per cent to 9.18p on Monday morning, after the wafer supplier said it expects its full year results to hit the upper end of its guidance, thanks to a recovery in AI and defence-related demand. The Cardiff-based company now forecasts 2025 revenue of around £97m, and adjusted earnings [...]
Trump official warns UK on ‘Russia-style’ X ban after Grok row January 11, 2026 A key Trump administration official has sent the UK a firm warning following speculation Elon Musk’s X platform may face a ban after a scandal around AI-generated images. Sarah Rogers, under-secretary for public diplomacy at the US State Department, issued a series of messages criticising the UK on the rumoured ban. Rogers said the UK [...]
Used car marketplace Motorway takes out £25m loan after losses widen January 5, 2026 Motorway has agreed a fresh £25m loan after the online car marketplace reported widening losses. The London-based tech firm, which hit a valuation of over $1bn in a 2021 funding round, said it secured the loan one day before Christmas Eve, with £15m having already been drawn down by the end of the year. The [...]
Legacy banks must ‘radically modernise’ or lose to fintech stars, says former Barclays boss January 1, 2026 A decade ago, Antony Jenkins was ousted from his role as chief executive of Barclays and months later warned the banking sector was reaching an “Uber moment”. Jenkins declared technology would be an “unstoppable force” in the banking sector and could lead to hundreds of branch closures and potentially slash the industry’s workforce by half. [...]
AI use will set great companies apart from the rest in 2026, Dell boss predicts December 31, 2025 The use of AI will “start to be a defining factor that sets great companies apart from the rest”, the UK boss of Dell has predicted. Steve Young, the US giant’s UK senior vice president and managing director, said progress has “laid a strong foundation” but told City AM that 2026 will be marked by [...]
AI needs to prove itself where it matters most December 31, 2025 People don’t step back from AI because they’re fearful of the technology itself. They step back when it doesn’t align with how their business actually works, writes Sage CEO Steve Hare. A few weeks ago, I spoke with a small business owner who had heard AI could help with her accounts. She wasn’t sure how. [...]
Greg Jackson spins off Octopus’ tech arm Kraken after $1bn injection December 30, 2025 Octopus Energy Group has spun off its technology arm, Kraken, following its first standalone investment round. The fresh funding round for Kraken was led by global investment giant D1 Capital Partners, with new investors including Fidelity International, Durable Capital Partners and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board. Kraken – which is an AI-powered platform now contracted [...]
Mastercard issues winding up petition against London fintech Guavapay December 26, 2025 Hundreds of jobs could be at risk as London fintech Guavapay faces a winding up petition from payments giant Mastercard over unpaid sums, City AM can reveal. The firm, which employs more than 500 staff and manages cross-border money transfers for individuals and businesses, was issued the notice on Christmas Eve, according to court filings [...]
Will the AI bubble burst in 2026? We ask the experts December 22, 2025 The question of whether we are in an AI bubble and, if so, when exactly it might burst has dominated conversation in the City in recent months. Who better to turn to for answers than some of the UK’s finest stockpickers and strategists? The year 2025 was not a quiet one for markets. It started [...]
AI stocks to remain dominant in 2026, analysts predict December 19, 2025 Artificial intelligence is likely to remain a “dominant theme” in markets next year, analysts predict, shaking off fears of an AI crash. St James’ Place expects AI stocks to maintain investor interest in 2026, with analysts and portfolio managers bullish on the sector’s run. Valuations of top tech stocks have been rocketing up since the [...]