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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As it happened: Stocks jump in housebuilder boost; oil edges up

October 14, 2026

Welcome back to City AM‘s FTSE 100 live blog. Stocks made a shaky start on Wednesday morning following a late collapse on Tuesday afternoon, but eventually recovered to modest gains in the late morning. Housebuilders Barratt Redrow and Bellway led the way, lifting other property names like British Land and Workspace. Oil prices are rising [...]
We’ll cut Neet support if Healey hikes taxes, warns boss of B&Q owner Kingfisher

October 14, 2026

The boss of B&Q-owner Kingfisher has warned John Healey that the FTSE 100 firm may have to cut its support for unemployed young people if the Chancellor hikes taxes. Thierry Garnier, the retail group’s chief executive, wrote in City AM that the Chancellor must exempt shops from the highest bracket of business rates at the [...]
Lidl snaps up market share as rival Aldi stalls

October 13, 2026

Lidl is the fastest-growing grocer in the UK, new figures suggest, as the discount supermarket grabs more market share while its rivals stall. The German discounter held 8.6 per cent of the UK’s grocer market in the 12 weeks to October, according to Worldpanel by Numerator, up from 8.2 per cent a year ago. This [...]
Retailers press Healey to cut high street taxes at crunch Downing St meeting

October 13, 2026

Retailers urged John Healey to “reverse the damage” of rising high street taxes as the Chancellor met industry bosses on Tuesday. Top retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer pressed Healey on business rates and youth unemployment but the Chancellor stopped short of confirming any Budget measures. Healey hosted high street bosses at Number [...]
Marstons shares soar as pub firm bets on sports bars

October 13, 2026

Shares in Marstons soared on Tuesday after the hospitality firm said it would ramp up efforts to convert more than 100 of its pubs into sports bars. The London-listed pub company said its new “Grandstand” format, which offers big screens and match-based food and drink offers, has been its “standout” performer this year. The World [...]
Premier Inn owner Whitbread hits out at ‘destructive’ activist investor

October 13, 2026

Premier Inn owner Whitbread has hit out at the activist investor seeking a seat on its board, claiming its proposals would be a “complete waste” of time and money. The FTSE 100 hospitality firm wrote to shareholders on Tuesday urging them to reject the plans put forward by Corvex Asset Management, one of the group’s [...]
Bellway warns revived Help to Buy scheme could slow housing market

October 13, 2026

Bellway has warned the government’s revival of the Help to Buy scheme could further slow the housing market in the near term by encouraging housebuyers to delay decisions. The FTSE 250 housebuilder said Labour’s new equity loan scheme, Your First Home, is a “welcome development” but cautioned it will not immediately solve the UK’s housing [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 loses early gains as oil prices stay high

October 13, 2026

Welcome back to City AM‘s FTSE 100 live blog. The UK’s blue-chip index made strong gains on Monday morning, jumping more than 0.9 per cent soon after the market open. This follows Tuesday’s strong showing, when the index gained nearly one per cent. In a busy morning the corporate results, Premier Inn owner Whitbread hit [...]
Retail sales ‘sluggish’ as shoppers feel cautious ahead of Budget

October 13, 2026

British retail sales showed “sluggish” growth last month as shoppers became increasingly cautious ahead of the Autumn Budget. Total sales at retailers increased by 1.3 per cent in the 12 months to September, compared to 2.3 per cent growth in September 2025, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Big Four giant KPMG. The [...]
Battersea Power Station nears completion with £280m new loan

October 13, 2026

The developers behind Battersea Power Station have secured a new £280m refinancing as the £5bn regeneration project nears its final stage. The Battersea Power Station Development Company secured the new loan from the group of lenders which have backed the project since it began in 2012, including London-listed Standard Chartered, Malaysian bank CIMB, Singaporean financial [...]

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By: Felix Armstrong

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