By: Mauricio Alencar

Politics and Economics Reporter Maurício Alencar is City AM’s Politics and Economics Reporter. He covers the state's relationship with the City of London and UK business, jumping between Westminster and the Square Mile. He picks up all stories on UK economics data ranging from inflation to immigration, as well as the Bank of England, the Treasury, business surveys, and all stories important or interesting to the decision-makers. He used to cover sports, foreign news and home news at various publications – plus investigations, which he plans to continue to pursue.

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Migrant visa applications plummet in test to Reeves

January 10, 2026

Migrants’ skilled worker visa applications plummeted in December, posing a test to Rachel Reeves and economists at the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to take control of public finances. New figures showed that the number of skilled worker visa applications dropped to 2,500 in December, having increased to a peak of 10,100 in April 2024. [...]
Venezuela is ‘uninvestable’ as Trump unnerves market analysts

January 10, 2026

Venezuela is “uninvestable” and requires sweeping reforms before oil giants can support US ambitions, a top chief executive has warned Donald Trump, in a warning that comes amid growing concerns the president is set to rattle markets and hit global economies. ExxonMobil boss Darren Woods appeared to distance the company from the president’s ambitions to [...]
Pound to suffer ‘until May’ amid Starmer leadership troubles

January 9, 2026

Sterling will suffer from speculation over Keir Starmer’s leadership until at least the May elections, economists have predicted, with 2026 tipped to become another year where Westminster infighting sparks City jitters. Analysts at Investec have suggested that the further strengthening of the pound will be held back by continued questions over Starmer’s authority across the [...]
Fiscal rules are a ‘self-awarded badge of honour’ that ‘make no difference’

January 9, 2026

Fiscal rules are “largely ineffective” and fail to impose discipline on public expenditure, a new report has said, bringing into question claims made by UK Chancellors and the International Monetary Fund that a clear list of targets can stabilise public finances. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has held up her “iron-clad” fiscal rules, which hinge on changing [...]
Financial services suffer ‘rapid’ fall in business

January 8, 2026

Financial services are suffering from a “rapid” fall in business activity, new survey data has shown, pointing to investors’ struggles to revive a spluttering UK economy. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI)‘s figures suggested financial services companies experienced a decline in business volumes and profitability at the end of last year, hitting confidence across the [...]
Bosses hold up wage growth expectations amid inflation tensions

January 8, 2026

Company bosses have cut their wage growth expectations for the year ahead, Bank of England data has suggested, with inflation pressures on Britons easing. Finance chiefs across private sector firms are set to raise wages by smaller amounts than seen in the last year, which could sway some Bank policymakers to lower borrowing costs further. [...]
Badenoch accuses Starmer of lying as Abramovich row erupts

January 8, 2026

Kemi Badenoch has accused Keir Starmer of lying about her shadow attorney general Lord Wolfson amid a furious row about funds in Roman Abramovich’s frozen bank account designated for Ukraine. Starmer took aim at Lord Wolfson, who has recused himself from offering the Tory leader advice on Ukraine and Russia due to his own legal [...]
Rent control law to ‘knock £11bn’ off commercial property

January 8, 2026

New legislation introducing rent controls could lead to £11bn being stripped from commercial property values, fresh analysis has shown, in the latest blow to the confidence for investors. The government is proposing a ban on upward-only rent hikes on commercial property in a bid to support small businesses with costs. The proposed ban can be [...]
Labour urged to ramp up defence spending

January 7, 2026

The Labour government is being urged to ramp up defence spending at a faster pace as opposition party leaders warned threats to Greenland, Ukraine and Nato required Keir Starmer to take swift action. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey were among those demanding the government to bring forward a 2034 deadline [...]
Starmer summons business chiefs to join China trip

January 7, 2026

Downing Street officials are asking business leaders to join Keir Starmer on a visit to China later this month, it has been reported, amid tensions over the approval of its mega embassy near the City of London. The government is still looking to gather new business representatives to accompany Starmer to Beijing despite some concerns [...]

UK ministers to push ahead with ‘capped’ mandation powers after peers backlash

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By: Mauricio Alencar

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