By: Felix Armstrong

Retail Reporter Felix Armstrong is City AM's retail reporter, covering retail, hospitality and property news. He has previously written for The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The i Paper. Email Felix at Felix.Armstrong@cityam.com

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‘Waste of time’: Trump cancels envoys’ trips to Pakistan for Iran talks

April 26, 2026

Donald Trump has cancelled a trip by US envoys to Pakistan to hold more peace talks with Iran, shortly after Tehran’s delegation left Islamabad. The US President said special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner would be wasting “too much time” on the trip, accusing Iran’s delegation of “tremendous infighting and confusion”. The collapse [...]
Mondi shares slump over Iran war cost warning

April 24, 2026

Shares in paper and packaging giant Mondi have slumped after the firm revealed it is facing soaring costs as a result of the Iran war. The FTSE 100 firm saw its share price drop by more than six per cent in early trading, as it warned it has already faced higher energy, raw material and [...]
JD Sports boss quit after failed coup attempt

April 24, 2026

The chair of JD Sports quit earlier this week because he failed to convince its board to eject its chief executive, it has been revealed. Andy Higginson quit as chair of the FTSE 100 sportswear retailer on Wednesday, with his tenure set to complete after the firm’s annual meeting in July. He said he was [...]
Retail sales jump as motorists stock up on fuel

April 24, 2026

Retailers saw a much-needed sales boost in the last month as Brits rushed to stock up on fuel amid fears that the Iran war could choke global supplies. Total retail sales were up 0.7 per cent in March, compared to a 0.6 fall in February, as fuel sales rose sharply by more than six per [...]
Inflation fears push slump in demand for City offices

April 24, 2026

Demand for office space in the Square Mile slid in the first quarter of the year as investors stalled decision making following the outbreak of war in Iran. Office property demand fell by 23 per cent year on year in the City of London and 14 per cent in the capital as a whole in the [...]
‘How long can the pain continue?’ Consumer confidence falls again

April 23, 2026

Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in more than two years, as fears grow that the UK economy could be ravaged by soaring inflation caused by the Iran war. A closely-watched survey conducted by research firm GfK found consumer confidence dropped by four points to -25 in April. The index is another warning [...]
Supermarkets pile pressure on government to cut energy costs

April 23, 2026

Supermarkets are calling on the government to cut taxes on energy to help retailers dodge looming food inflation, with Sainsbury’s, Tesco, M&S and Asda piling pressure on Labour. The boss of Sainsbury’s, the UK’s second-largest grocer, became the latest industry figure to call for the Treasury to step in. On Thursday, the supermarket said it [...]
BRC chief: Red tape ‘weighs heavily’ on retailers

April 23, 2026

Helen Dickinson, the boss of leading trade body the British Retail Consortium, believes red tape “weighs heavily” on retailers. She speaks to Felix Armstrong about food inflation, workers’ rights and her meeting with the Chancellor. Helen Dickinson was six weeks into her job as chief executive of the BRC when the horsemeat scandal landed on [...]
WH Smith profit grounded as flight cancellations take hold

April 23, 2026

WH Smith shares tumbled after the retailer adopted a more “cautious outlook” as the Iran war sparks a slowdown in international tourism. The retailer’s share price fell by more than 15 per cent on Thursday’s open, to 532p, leaving the stock down more than 16 per cent in the year so far. The stationer suffered [...]
Sainsbury’s warns of Iran war hit to customers, share price dips

April 23, 2026

Sainsbury’s has warned that the Iran war “will impact both our customers and our business,” as the supermarket giant saw its share price fall. The FTSE 100 grocer’s underlying retail profit fell by more than one per cent to £1bn, which Sainsbury’s said was due to “significant operating cost inflation,” as total sales grew by [...]

‘Very concerned’: City watchdog scolds motor finance lenders over £9bn redress scheme

Dallas, Boston, New York New Jersey: Inside England’s Fifa World Cup stadiums

Glengarry Glen Ross at the Old Vic fails to close

By: Felix Armstrong

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