Sparking interest: Could utilities stocks power your portfolio? May 4, 2026 The FTSE 100 isn’t known as the flashiest of stock markets, lacking the might of the trillion-dollar tech stocks of the US or the glamorous luxury conglomerates of France. But what it lacks in shine, it makes up for in reliability, with the index reporting a 21.5 gain in 2025, its strongest calendar year performance [...]
London hotel occupancy slides as Iran war wreaks travel havoc May 4, 2026 International travel chaos caused by the Iran war is beginning to hit London’s hotels, fresh data has found. The occupancy of London’s hotels fell year on year in March, according to audit firm RSM.Hotel experts attribute the decline to a fall in tourism. Luxury London hotels enjoy a huge amount of custom from Middle Eastern [...]
Food prices set to soar 50 per cent since cost-of-living crisis began May 4, 2026 UK food prices are on track to be 50 per cent higher by November compared to levels at the start of the cost-of-living crisis, piling fresh pressure on households already struggling with rising bills. New analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) warns the surge would mark a “grim milestone”, with price growth [...]
KBRA Releases Research – The Forward Look—European and UK Credit Views: Q2 2026 May 1, 2026 KBRA releases the latest quarterly report highlighting our European Macro Strategist Gordon Kerr’s view on key economic indicators, as well as what he identifies as the most influential factors driving credit markets in the upcoming quarter. The report also examines credit market valuations in the context of current and future market conditions. KBRA examines how [...]
Petrol retailers vindicated after Reeves ‘profiteering’ claims May 1, 2026 Petrol retailers have been vindicated of “price gouging”, pouring cold water on the government’s accusations of profiteering from the war in Iran. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that higher fuel prices in the UK were caused by the rising cost of oil, rather than by retailers expanding their margins to profit from the [...]
My Alps adventure holiday with endless high-octane thrills May 1, 2026 Simon Miller on an Alps adventure holiday stuffed with high-octane adventuring I’m never going to argue that a good book and a sun lounger isn’t a winning summer holiday formula, but go on enough of those trips and the novelty starts to wane. Seen one swim up bar, you’ve seen them all. I wanted to [...]
MJ Gleeson warns building cost inflation prompting ‘high caution’ May 1, 2026 Housebuilder MJ Gleeson has sounded the alarm over building cost inflation, prompting “higher than usual caution” over its finances. The London-listed firm said on Friday: “We have recently seen some softening in footfall and reservations, and limited increases in the cost of some materials.” The effective blockade to the Strait of Hormuz caused by the [...]
House prices rise in April as market proves ‘remarkable resilience’ May 1, 2026 House prices made a surprise jump in April, as the “remarkable resilience” of the UK’s housing market trumped the hit to consumer confidence caused by the Iran war. Annual house price growth in the UK climbed to three per cent last month, up from 2.2 per cent in March. National house prices grew by 0.4 [...]
Natwest shares slip as bank upgrades income on higher interest rates May 1, 2026 Natwest breezed past profit expectations in the first quarter of the 2026 and is predicting a greater bump to its bottom line on the back of higher-than-expected interest rates. The FTSE 100 giant booked a £2bn pre-tax profit in the first three months of the year, up from £1.8bn in the same period last year [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks drop amid US-Iran war mixed messaging; House prices up May 1, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Markets are scrambling for some messaging this morning as tensions around the Iran war drag on. Donald Trump faced a deadline for today whether to formally end the war in Iran or make the case to the US Congress for extending it. But an official [...]