Electric vehicle sales set to experience slowest growth since the pandemic January 3, 2026 Electric vehicle sales are set for their slowest annual growth since the pandemic damaged sales in 2020, as demand for the vehicles weaken. First reported by the Financial Times, electric vehicle (EV) sales are expected to reach just 13 per cent to 24m in 2026, down from an estimated 22 per cent increase last year, [...]
Knight Frank appointed for bumper Brighton Palace Pier sale January 2, 2026 Knight Frank has been instructed on the sale of Brighton Palace Pier, two months after the Grade II-listed landmark’s owners revealed their plans to offload the amusement park amid a barrage of economic headwinds. The Brighton Pier Group appointed the property giant to seek a buyer for the coastal attraction, which its operator said in [...]
Activity in UK’s embattled manufacturing sector hits 15-month high January 2, 2026 The UK’s embattled manufacturing sector took another small step towards recovery at the end of 2025 thanks to an influx of new orders. The latest UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) from S&P Global UK hit a 15-month high as the industry continued to grow for the second consecutive month. The PMI reading hit 50.6, up [...]
FTSE 100 closes whisker away from 10,000 after intraday high January 2, 2026 The FTSE 100 was heading to a close a whisker away from the 10,000 mark on Friday after sealing an intraday high in the first day of trading in 2026. London’s blue-chip index climbed 0.3 per cent to finish the session near 9,962p. The index was boosted by an early morning rally as markets opened, [...]
Housing market ended 2025 on ‘softer note’ after ‘resilient’ year January 2, 2026 The UK housing market rounded off 2025 on a softer note after remaining “resilient” through a volatile year, according to Nationwide’s latest house price index. Annual house price growth slowed to 0.6 per cent in December from 1.8 per cent in November, with a 0.4 per cent fall in prices. This took the average UK [...]
Labour ‘quietly hammering’ workers as pensioners benefit, think tank warns January 2, 2026 The Labour government is “quietly hammering” workers following the Autumn Budget’s stealth tax raid while pensioners and those on benefits are set to enjoy a jump in income, a think tank has said. In the November Budget, Rachel Reeves extended the freeze on income tax thresholds until 2031 – a move which is viewed as [...]
What does 2026 hold for London property owners? January 2, 2026 Ordinary London home owners are set to be hammered by Rachel Reeves’ Mansion Tax and skyrocketing council tax. But the capital will prove resilient, says James Evans It’s going to be an interesting year ahead for the capital’s property owners and how they deal with the fallout from the Budget. Central to this is how London [...]
City AM’s 10 stock picks for 2026 January 1, 2026 2025 was a rollercoaster year for the stock market. Equity indices fell off a cliff in April when the unveiling of US president Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs spooked investors and triggered a widespread sell-off. They have since made a strong recovery, helped along by enthusiasm for the innovative potential of AI and the stocks [...]
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. [...]
The winners and losers of the FTSE 100’s record year December 31, 2025 In what has been a record year for the FTSE 100, a number of London’s blue-chips missed out on the rally and were left in the dark. The FTSE 100 is poised to close 2025 just shy of the 10,000 mark after rising 20 per cent over the course of the year, led by strong [...]