By: Samuel Norman

Senior City Reporter Samuel is a Senior City Reporter covering all the top financial institutions from retail banks to fintechs as well as stories on capital markets and economics. He has broken stories on some of the biggest names in the City and regularly writes in-depth analysis pieces on companies and industry trends. Samuel also leads on City AM's morning liveblog from 7am everyday. He writes a weekly column found in print and online on Wednesdays. He can be contacted at samuel.norman@cityam.com and posts on LinkedIn and X at x.com/samnormanwrites.

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As it happened: Oil surges after Trump says he doesn’t ‘really want’ Iran peace

October 8, 2026

Welcome back to City AM‘s FTSE 100 liveblog. The FTSE 100 has returned to the red after markets were hit by the spiking price of oil this week that led to a global bond sell-off. The UK’s 10-year gilt yield rose ten basis point yesterday before giving up some gains to settle seven basis points higher at [...]
Employers yearn for growth as jobs market stages ‘fragile recovery’

October 8, 2026

The UK jobs market is beginning to “flicker back to life,” a new report has said, after permanent and temporary placings inched up in the last month. The latest jobs report from KPMG and recruiter REC showed permanent hiring grew for the second consecutive month to a four-year high of 50.9. Meanwhile, temporary billings also [...]
HSBC set to axe UK wealth jobs as AI takes hold

October 7, 2026

HSBC is putting a raft of roles in its UK wealth division on the chopping block following a push to slash costs with artificial intelligence. Europe’s biggest lender is consulting on changes to its wealth management operations that would lead to a shake-up for hundreds of relationship managers and financial advisers across the UK. The [...]
Volkswagen takes £725m hit from motor finance scandal

October 7, 2026

The finance arm of Volkswagen has taken a mammoth hit from the motor finance scandal plunging it to a loss for the year. Volkswagen Financial Services UK (VWFS) set aside £725m for expected expenses under the City watchdog’s industry-wide car finance redress scheme, according to new account filings. The provision swung the firm to a [...]
Shell eyes profit windfall from surging fuel prices

October 7, 2026

Shell is poised to reap major gains from its refining operations after the global surge in fuel prices dramatically ramped up the group’s profit margins. The blue-chip energy giant said on Wednesday it expects its indicative refining margin – the difference between the cost of crude oil and the market value of finished fuels like [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 slide as oil price jumps; Global bond yields higher

October 7, 2026

Welcome back to City AM‘s FTSE 100 liveblog. Global markets are swimming in the red as the price of oil trends higher following tensions in the Middle East offsetting a rise in supply. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – tipped over $101 per barrel on Wednesday following intensified attacks on tankers in the [...]
‘Serious concern’: City watchdog accused of withholding information in motor finance row

October 7, 2026

The City watchdog is coming under pressure to release its communications with the Treasury and modelling data for its controversial motor finance redress scheme, City AM can reveal. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is facing legal challenges from the finance arms of Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz as well as French-owned CA Auto Finance over its [...]
Stages of tax grief: Is it time for bankers to bargain?

October 7, 2026

Banks are in the firing line at the Budget and in a meeting with bosses on Tuesday chancellor John Healey played coy on any increased rates. In this week’s column Samuel Norman looks at what trade-off could be made. Also on the cards, fresh data shows fintechs are lurching ahead of the incumbents on customer [...]
UK fintech Wise in tie-up with Oaknorth as it beefs up infrastructure division

October 6, 2026

UK fintech Wise is set to reveal a partnership with small business lender Oaknorth as the group looks to make its infrastructure arm a driving force. The cross-border finance firm’s tie-up with Oaknorth will see the latter adopt Wise’s international payments engine directly into its own banking platform for small businesses. Fintechs and challengers have [...]
Informa snaps up Clarion Events in £2.2bn deal with Blackstone

October 6, 2026

Digital services giant Informa has snapped up the world’s largest privately owned event and exhibition organiser in a multi-billion pound deal with private equity firm Blackstone. The FTSE 100 group revealed on Tuesday it had acquired London-headquartered Clarion Events for £2.2bn from Blackstone. The deal brings over 100 business-to-business live event brands under the Informa [...]

FTSE 100 Live: Stocks to rise as market digests ‘do no harm’ Budget

MPs call for free-to-air Rugby League World Cup matches

Watching my first Budget: An idiot’s blow-by-blow account

By: Samuel Norman

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