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) [...]
Europe has made a ‘major mistake’ on slow electrification, IEA chief warns July 11, 2026 The head of the International Energy Agency has warned Europe made a “major mistake” by failing to end its economy reliance on imported fossil fuels quickly enough since the 2022 energy crunch. Fatih Birol said Europe’s low electrification rate, electricity’s share of the energy consumed in the EU, of roughly 23 per cent is holding [...]
Sadiq Khan lobbies Burnham to appoint Miliband as Chancellor July 11, 2026 London mayor Sadiq Khan has weighed into the debate over who should be the next chancellor, lobbying Andy Burnham to select Ed Miliband for the job. In a private discussion with Burnham, Khan argued that Miliband had both the political skills and economic expertise to deliver Burnham’s agenda, including devolving powers to city regions, people [...]
The devastating prognosis for the UK’s public finances July 11, 2026 While much of the media obsesses over Nigel Farage’s fight with a man dressed as a bin, I have something more sobering to discuss as we kick off the weekend. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s report into fiscal risks and sustainability, published this week, is comfortably the most alarming yet. This is an annual review [...]
Vodafone shares jump as French telecoms tycoon becomes top shareholder July 10, 2026 Vodafone shares surged almost 11 per cent on Friday after French telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel bought a £4.4bn stake in the FTSE 100 group from UAE-backed e& and became its largest shareholder. The deal will see Niel’s investment vehicle, Vega, acquire e&‘s entire 16.2 per cent stake for 112.5p a share – a 15 per [...]
Rachel Reeves’ legacy of tinkering with the City is not enough, says Mel Stride July 9, 2026 Sir Mel Stride has branded Rachel Reeves’ legacy in government as mere “tinkering” with City reform as the top Tory predicted her successor will create a “hostile” environment for the banking sector. In an interview with City AM, the shadow Chancellor branded Reeves’ two-years in the Treasury as “managerial incrementalism,” adding it was “not enough”. [...]
Burnham’s cheerfulness could turn the economy around July 9, 2026 Confidence is an elusive but essential determinant of the course of the economy ignored by Reeves' doomsterism. Burnham could change that.