Lord Cruddas’ CMC Markets takes control of blockchain firm May 7, 2025 CMC Markets, the firm founded by Conservative Peer Lord Peter Cruddas, announced on Wednesday it had acquired a majority stake in StrikeX Technologies. The London-based trading firm upped its holding in the blockchain firm to 51 per cent from 33 per cent previously. Shares in CMC Markets were up 0.3 per cent in midday trading [...]
FTSE 100’s record run ends as pharma stocks slide on new Trump appointment May 7, 2025 The FTSE 100’s record run came to an end on Wednesday as pharma stocks slumped on the back of a controversial US regulatory appointment. The blue-chip index spent the entire session in the red and closed off 0.4 per cent. Drugmakers GSK and Astrazeneca were among the top fallers, at nearly five per cent and [...]
To be the party of opportunity, Conservatives must be the party of YIMBYs May 7, 2025 Britain’s housing shortage is now so severe that even if we hit Labour’s now abandoned building target, it would still take half a century to close the gap, says Sir Simon Clarke Last night I was delighted to launch Conservative YIMBY (“Yes In My Back Yard”), a campaign group which aims to transform Conservative attitudes [...]
FTSE 100 extends record win streak as gold miners rally May 6, 2025 The FTSE 100’s record run, fuelled by a recovery in investor sentiment following a pullback in US tariff threats, extended to 16 days on Tuesday. The blue-chip index had another nail-biting session fluctuating between small gains and losses before scraping a 0.01 per cent win. Gold miners led the risers as Endeavour and Fresnillo topped [...]
When words matter more than numbers at the Bank of England May 5, 2025 City analysts have pencilled in their predictions for Thursday. Here’s how almost all of them likely read. Interest rates will be cut to 4.25 per cent, the Bank of England’s inflation forecast for this year will exceed its two per cent target and President Trump’s tariffs will be highlighted as a detriment to UK growth. [...]
HSBC Asset Management’s sustainability boss to depart as sector pivots on ESG May 5, 2025 The top sustainability boss at HSBC Asset Management is set to leave the firm amid chief executive Georges Elhedery’s review of the lender’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies. Erin Leonard’s exit, as first reported by Reuters, follows Celine Herweijer, the bank’s former chief sustainability officer, leaving the firm at the end of last year. [...]
Starmer speaks to Australian counterpart after ‘historic election win’ May 4, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to Anthony Albanese after the Australian leader won a second term with his centre-left government. The Prime Minister congratulated Albanese on Sunday morning for his “historic election win” after he became the first Australian prime minister to win a second consecutive three-year term in two decades. “Australia and the UK [...]
Donald Trump says he does not know if he backs due process rights May 4, 2025 Donald Trump has refused to affirm his intention to uphold due process rights laid out in the US constitution. In a new interview, the US president also said he does not think military force will be needed to make Canada the “51st state” of the US, and played down the possibility he would look to [...]
Crown Prosecution Service shelled out nearly £7.6m on phones and laptops for staff May 2, 2025 The Crown Prosecution Service has forked out nearly £7m on laptops and over £600,000 on mobile phones for staff, as experts warn of an increased risk of data breaches
FTSE 100 on track for longest winning streak ever May 2, 2025 The FTSE 100 is set to net its longest winning run ever as it recovers from the tariff-induced market chaos of April. Should the UK’s flagship index continue its morning rally and close in the green on Friday for the 15th consecutive trading session, it will beat the current record of 14 days achieved in [...]