On This Day in 1980: America severs diplomatic relations with Iran April 7, 2026 The United States severed diplomatic relations with Iran on April 7, 1980, after the Ayatollah Khomeini refused to order the release of the American hostages who had been held at the US Embassy since the previous November, writes Eliot Wilson If you remember good relations between the United States and Iran, you are at least facing [...]
Lab-grown diamonds are an inflection point for luxury April 7, 2026 Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically, and optically identical to mined stones and they’re going to disrupt an entire industry, says Nathalie Morrison I spent much of my career in rooms where value was measured in basis points, not brilliance. As the youngest senior client partner at Coutts at 26, I advised clients on wealth management, [...]
London’s top 2025 listings tumble in blow to IPO revival hopes April 7, 2026 London’s biggest listings in 2025 have all tumbled since the start of the year, dealing a blow to hopes of a revival in the capital’s lacklustre IPO market. The five biggest floats from last year slumped by an average of 26 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, according to a City AM analysis, [...]
Private credit firm exposed after cosmetics retailer plunges into administration April 7, 2026 A private credit firm has been forced to write down the value of one of its portfolio companies after online retailer Give Me Cosmetics was placed into administration. London-based Beechbrook capital, which offers finance to lower mid-market British businesses, had lent around £6.5m to fund the acquisition of Give Me Cosmetics in April 2024, in [...]
14 charts reveal the massive challenges facing UK and NATO defence spending April 7, 2026 Defence spending is casting a shadow over Downing Street. Military officers are in a state of despair. The choices facing Sir Keir Starmer are stark. The political calculus for the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has become more complicated than ever as the Iran war puts public finances in danger. Their difficulties go back to February 2025 [...]
Formula E owners bid for NBA Europe’s London franchise April 6, 2026 Formula E’s majority stakeholder has bid to buy the London franchise in the upcoming NBA Europe project, according to reports. The London franchise was the most sought after team when the period to submit non-binding bids to express an interest closed last week. NBA sources stated that they had received multiple bids of $1bn across [...]
From jet fuel to fertiliser – economic pain is heading West April 6, 2026 A quiet Easter Sunday was abruptly punctured when US President Donald Trump unleashed a brutal, expletive-filled ultimatum to the Iranian regime. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Tuesday will be power plant day, and bridge day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. “There will be nothing like it!!! Open the f***in’ strait [...]
Jamie Dimon eyes high interest rates, uneven lending and IPO dearth in JP Morgan shareholder letter April 6, 2026 One of the biggest names in global banking issued a stark warning about global political uncertainty and the potential threat of higher asset prices on Monday, while pointing to the faltering pipeline for company flotations. Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, added his voice to a debate raging in world financial centres on [...]
The 2026 tax year has started. Here’s what you need to know April 6, 2026 The tax year countdown has officially ended and a new year has begun on 6 April, bringing with it an ISA allowance reset and silent tax hikes. While many investors and savers will be breathing a sigh of relief, thinking they have completed their financial admin for at least a few months, being proactive at [...]
Alex Gerko’s XTX paid more than £500m in corporation tax in 2025 April 6, 2026 A London algorithmic trading firm run by billionaire Alex Gerko faced a corporation tax bill of more than £500m last year, the firm’s latest accounts show, making the company one of the largest individual contributors to the exchequer. Kings Cross-based XTX Markets was due to pay around £580m in corporation tax for 2025, according to [...]