Surging mortgage rates ‘biting harder’ on fragile housing market October 19, 2026 Rising mortgage rates are starting to “bite harder” on the UK’s fragile housing market by forcing sellers to push down asking prices. The average two-year fixed mortgage rate has risen to 5.55 per cent, up from 5.29 per cent last month and 4.25 per cent since before the war in Iran, according to homes portal [...]
UK company profit warnings surge as Iran war drives up costs October 19, 2026 Profit warnings from London listed businesses reached the highest levels in nearly two years over the summer, as an energy shock brought on by the Iran war fuelled inflation. Businesses issued 65 profit warnings during the period, up from 59 in the second quarter, according to the latest analysis from EY. It also marked the [...]
Lidl eyes Poundland bargain as sale of discount retailer ramps up October 15, 2026 Discount supermarket Lidl has tabled a bid for a single Poundland shop in the hope of scooping up more stores if the retailer is broken up, City AM has learned. The German grocery chain has put in an offer to Gordon Brothers, which owns the retailer, in which it would initially buy one store if [...]
Football regulator’s reputation rests on its handling of Manchester City October 15, 2026 The Independent Football Regulator has improving English clubs’ failing finances in its sights but its treatment of Manchester City is what will likely define it, writes Ed Warner. What word or phrase to you best describes the state of English football? Would broken, bust or (morally and/or financially) bankrupt fit your bill? A tad sensational, [...]
These are the two things holding back housebuilding October 14, 2026 Falling consumer confidence and severe development unviability are hindering housebuilding. We need a comprehensive strategy including regulatory freezes, a shared equity scheme, and planning reforms to tackle the housing crisis, says Gavin Barwell Everybody knows there is a housing crisis – it has been building for the last 50 years. The victims are all around [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
London Stock Exchange faces ‘material depopulation’ October 12, 2026 The London Stock Exchange is facing “material depopulation” following a boom in the M&A landscape dominated by overseas buyers, a top investment bank has warned. Some 42 bids for London-listed firms are currently ongoing with a total market capitalisation of £74bn, according to a new note from Peel Hunt. The figure is more than double [...]
Britain’s biggest bingo chain explores sale despite tax raid threat October 11, 2026 The owner of the UK’s biggest bingo hall operator is exploring a sale of the company, even as gambling bosses warn a huge tax raid could threaten the industry. Asset manager ICG has appointed bankers to advise on discussions with potential buyers for Buzz Bingo, it is understood. The Nottingham-based chain is looking for a [...]
Thousands of Lifetime ISA savers slammed with multiple withdrawal penalties October 8, 2026 Thousands of Brits who saved into a Lifetime ISA were hit with multiple withdrawal penalties in a single tax year, as calls for the government to ensure the replacement product is fit for purpose grows. Roughly 45,000 savers were penalised for unauthorised withdrawals from Lifetime ISAs (LISA) in the 2024/25 tax year, according to an [...]