Grid delays force Starmer-backed AI data centre to seek alternative power July 13, 2026 One of the UK’s flagship AI infrastructure projects is being forced to source its own energy supplies after discovering it would not be granted grid connection in time for its eagerly anticipated opening. Nscale, the British AI unicorn backed by Nvidia, is now looking beyond conventional electricity connections for its flagship £2bn data centre in [...]
Financial services bankruptcies rise as MFS collapse ripples through sector July 13, 2026 The number of financial services companies entering administration spiked sharply in the first half of 2026 on the back of rising costs and the ripple effects of the collapse of mortgage provider Market Financial Solutions, according to a risk advisory firm. A total of 649 companies across sectors went under across the UK between January [...]
Rachel Reeves to unveil next steps for ring-fencing reform at Mansion House July 13, 2026 Rachel Reeves will outline the next steps of her ring-fencing reforms at Mansion House on Tuesday, City AM can reveal, in what is expected to be one of her last acts in the Treasury. The Chancellor will launch a consultation to seek industry input on the implementation of a package of reforms announced in May, including the [...]
‘Brutal onslaught’: Brewery McMullen’s takes aim at Reeves’ tax hikes after pub sell-off July 13, 2026 One of the UK’s biggest family-owned brewers has taken aim at Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes after it sold off more than a quarter of its pub estate. Hertfordshire-based McMullen’s, which owned over 100 pubs before offloading 30 of them in January, has warned it is likely to struggle to stay profitable in the years [...]
Moneybox boosts London’s Pisces market in ‘milestone’ £45m sale July 13, 2026 Moneybox has granted London’s novice private markets platform another major boost after confirming a £45m employee share sale. The move has been hailed a “milestone transaction” in the City’s efforts to keep tech firms from looking for opportunities abroad. The fintech will use the London Stock Exchange’s Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES) [...]
JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon under fire over whether he lobbied Treasury on Epstein advice July 13, 2026 The boss of JP Morgan is facing mounting scrutiny from US lawmakers on whether he lobbied the UK government on tax affairs on the advice of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Jamie Dimon – who is well-regarded as one of the world’s most influential figures in finance – said under oath in 2023 that he [...]
Plus500 revenue surges as US prediction markets drive growth July 13, 2026 Plus500 reported a rise in revenue after the trading platform pushed into the surging US prediction markets. Revenue reached a three year record high, increasing 12 per cent year on year to $462.9m (£346m). The firm also pinned the performance on “heightened market volatility”. Earnings before tax remained flat at $187.5m, after growth was offset [...]
London-listed firm cheers surge in demand for ‘dog wash machines’ July 13, 2026 Europe’s biggest photobooth operator has expanded into user-operated dog washing machines in a bid to recover from an Iran war hit to profit. ME Group, which operates laundry machines and photo booths across the UK and Europe, said it is rolling out hundreds of dog wash machines in a bid to drive growth. The FTSE [...]
As it happened: Choppy day for FTSE 100 after Iran closes Strait of Hormuz as strikes ramp up July 13, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Markets are returning from the weekend to face another geopolitical shock after Iran confirmed it had closed the Strait of Hormuz once more. The narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea had slowly seen a pick up in traffic [...]
UK economy tipped to stall as Iran war chokes growth July 12, 2026 The UK’s economy is expected to stall another month as the Iran war continues to choke growth and some industries face slowing output. Gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to have slipped again by 0.1 per cent in May, according to some economists. The UK’s growth update, delivered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) [...]