As it happened: FTSE 100 rallies after JD Sports drags on blue chips; oil jumps again August 20, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 has slipped to a week low on Thursday, as JD Sports dragged on the index after warning on profit. The blue-chip index fell to 10,693 around midday, marking a 0.46 per cent drop on Wednesday’s close and a 0.7 per cent fall in the week [...]
London City 7s sign up Springbok-producing powerhouse varsity team August 19, 2026 In less than a month a Springbok-producing university team will join Bordeaux at the London City 7s. This Saturday the Greatest Rivalry resumes as New Zealand take on South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. It is the first time the All Blacks have undertaken a full tour of South Africa in 30 years. Up [...]
Soaring energy bills set to fuel inflation spike August 16, 2026 Rising energy prices are poised to send UK inflation rearing back up, as economists warn that the summer boost to the economy could be fleeting. The rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation is tipped to rise to 2.9 per cent in July, climbing from June’s 15-month low of 2.6 per cent, when the Office [...]
We can’t all create jobs. But we can all create opportunities. August 10, 2026 Headlines about the challenges facing young people trying to secure their first meaningful job have become hard to ignore. And with exam results for our next generation of workers landing soon, Emily Shenton, co-founder of Arrival, an organisational performance consultancy whose social impact practice partners with corporates to help ambitious young people build careers and [...]
Champions Cup rugby team hacked in ransom attack with player data at risk August 7, 2026 Champions Cup rugby club Stade Francais has said it is the victim of a cyber attack, with reports stating players’ identity documents are being held to ransom. Cybercriminals have reportedly threatened to release documents relating to players, having already unveiled a number of identifiable documents belonging to 18 players. “Immediate containment, investigation and recovery measures [...]
How patient can the Bank of England be? August 4, 2026 Will policymakers be forced into an unexpected rate hike? Investec Chief Economist Philip Shaw explains how energy prices, wages and inflation expectations will shape the Bank of England’s next move – and reveals what he expects to happen. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept the Bank rate at 3.75 per cent this month, in line [...]
3 ways AI is rewriting the rules of private equity August 3, 2026 For private equity firms looking to exit investments, the rules of M&A have changed. Successful exits now depend on three things: proving AI resilience,running smarter sale processes and taking a more pragmatic approach to valuation. Earlier this year, the sharp sell-off in software stocks, dubbed the “SaaSpocalypse”, exposed how quickly AI can reshape company valuations. [...]
Fifa want to sell the family silver but should World Rugby do the same? July 31, 2026 Selling stakes in commercial entities is like selling the family silver. So should World Rugby copy Fifa? Selling stakes in commercial entities – much like Fifa announced it wanted to do with the World Cup – is like selling the family silver. Global tournaments are pillars of sports with revenues and reach that soar during [...]
Rathbones suffers near £1bn net outflows as it braces for FCA probe fallout July 29, 2026 Rathbones took a near-£1bn hit in net outflows in the first half of the year as it braces for further costs from a probe into the company following concerns raised by the financial watchdog. The wealth manager said it will take a knock from costs to improve its operations after a review by the Financial [...]
Saracens and Harlequins embracing athletics and hockey smart move for rugby July 24, 2026 Despite this weekend appearing to be the first in an eternity without top-flight rugby, the reality is that across England we have never had so little of it. Take Harlequins or Saracens, the two Prem Rugby clubs in London, and recent fixture announcements lay bare the underlying reason as to why so many teams make [...]