LSEG, Sage, Rightmove shares fall as Anthropic AI rattles markets February 4, 2026 Shares in global software giants tumbled again on Wednesday morning as the latest AI innovation from Anthropic rattled global markets. The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) extended Tuesday’s losses falling near two per cent in early trading to lows of 6,774.00p before clawing back some gains. Meanwhile Rightmove led the index’s fallers, with a slump [...]
Anthropic’s new AI legal tool wipes billions off European data stocks February 3, 2026 Shares in Europe’s biggest data, publishing and legal software groups slumped after AI giant Anthropic unveiled a new tool aimed directly at in-house lawyers. The move rattled investors who had long viewed the sector as an AI winner. In London, Relx fell close to 11 per cent, while Pearson dropped around four per cent. London [...]
Disney names new CEO as UK streaming shows early lift February 3, 2026 Walt Disney has ended its long-running succession drama by appointing parks chief Josh D’Amaro as its next chief executive, as the group begins to see tentative signs of recovery in its UK streaming business. D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, is to take over from Bob Iger at Disney’s annual meeting on 18 March. Iger, who [...]
Waymo raises $16bn ahead of London launch February 3, 2026 Alphabet-owned Waymo has raised $16bn (£12.6bn), valuing the self driving vehicle company at $126bn, as its London launch edges closer. The investment round, led by Dragoneer, DST Global and Sequoia, comes as the firm steps up preparations for its UK debut, with its cars already spotted testing on the streets of the capital. London is [...]
Musk’s SpaceX swallows xAI ahead of mega IPO February 3, 2026 Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX has acquired his AI firm xAI in a deal valuing the combined business at roughly $1.25 trillion (£910bn) as the billionaire tightens control of his empire, ahead of a long-trailed IPO. The all-stock transaction, announced on SpaceX’s own website on Monday, values SpaceX at about $1 trillion, and xAI at [...]
Disney streaming gains momentum as Hollywood pressure builds February 2, 2026 Disney beat Wall Street expectations in its latest quarter, buoyed by an unexpected improvement in its streaming business, despite rising costs hitting the entertainment industry. The media giant reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.63 for its first fiscal quarter, ahead of estimates of around $1.56. Revenue rose five per cent year on year to [...]
Amazon and Alphabet’s AI spending faces billion-dollar litmus test February 2, 2026 Investors will get a clearer read this week on whether Big Tech’s vast AI spending is turning into real returns, as Alphabet and Amazon report earnings amid heightened market sensitivity to cloud growth, margins and costs. Both tech giants sit at the centre of the AI boom, but recent volatility in US tech stocks has [...]
UK rental giants swap petrol for EVs as sales reach record highs February 2, 2026 Electric and hybrid cars are quickly becoming the default choice for British drivers, bolstered by soaring EV sales and rental firms swapping out petrol and diesel models for low-emission vehicles. Strong growth in electric vehicle sales globally and domestically is feeding straight into hire fleets. Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD, for instance, reported overseas deliveries [...]
US tech stocks slide as Microsoft rout sharpens AI spending doubts January 30, 2026 US technology stocks sold off sharply on Thursday, as a bruising slump in Microsoft sparked investor unease over how long it will take for mass AI investments to pay off. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite closed down 0.72 per cent at 23,685, weighed down by heavy losses across software giants. The S&P 500 slipped 0.13 per [...]
HSBC and Sage tackle Making Tax Digital burden for SMEs January 30, 2026 HSBC UK is launching a new digital tax tool inside its business banking platform, as the countdown to the government’s biggest shake-up of income tax reporting enters its final phase. Built using embedded tech from Sage, the service, called My Business Finances, will allow small business owners to manage invoicing and tax reporting. The move [...]
