Zilch to Acquire Fjord Bank to Kickstart European Expansion January 8, 2026 Acquisition will provide Zilch, the UK and EMEA’s fastest-growing fintech unicorn, with a European banking licence as it eyes international rollout
Waterstones books Rothschild as IPO plans ramp up January 7, 2026 The owner of Waterstones is preparing to appoint Rothschild to advise its multibillion-pound flotation later this year, offering the clearest sign yet that London could turn the page on a dire run of form if it edges out New York for the listing. Elliott Management, which owns Waterstones and its US sister Barnes & Noble, [...]
British shoppers turn to AI as London high street sales falter January 7, 2026 As our beloved high streets grapple with rising business costs, decaying consumer confidence and yet another bout of tax uncertainty, AI agents are reshaping how consumers shop. A report published by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) warns that that so-called ‘agentic AI’, a quasi-autonomous form of artificial intelligence, could shift from novelty to norm within [...]
AI jobs defy hiring slump as tech talent cashes in January 7, 2026 With redundancies rising and hiring freezes spreading across much of UK PLC, the tech corner of the jobs market looks to be moving steadily in the opposite direction. New data shows tech roles are not just surviving the wider slowdown, but actively raising salary growth in 2026. Jobs platform Totaljobs found median advertised pay saw [...]
US investor dials up attacks on investment trust before crunch vote January 7, 2026 The American hedge fund tycoon behind a campaign to shake up Britain’s investment trust sector has ramped up his attacks on a Baillie Gifford fund ahead of a pivotal shareholder vote, demanding answers over its decision to offload shares in Space X. Boaz Weinstein, the founder of Saba Capital, published an open letter to Edinburgh [...]
Majestic Wine blames Reeves’ tax hikes as profit slashed January 7, 2026 Majestic Wine has blamed Rachel Reeves and her tax policies for its profit almost slashing in half during its latest financial year. The Watford-based business said the “economic environment became more challenging” during the 12 months to 31 March, 2025, especially after the general election and the Chancellor’s first Budget. The chain added that these [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stock rally cools; Oil tumbles amid Trump tensions January 7, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The London stock market has opened on a dimmer mood with morning with both the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 trading into the red. The blue-chip index was hit by the falling price of oil with major stock losses across energy giants Shell and BP. [...]
The Debate: Should we bring back Saturday jobs? January 7, 2026 Employment tsar Alan Milburn says the decline of the Saturday job has left young people ill-prepared for work, but is it true?
Robotaxis are coming – how will London respond? January 7, 2026 The planned launch of autonomous ride services, starting with Uber in 2026, marks a major shift for London’s streets, repositioning mobility as a software-governed infrastructure that will redistribute control over pricing, liability and data, says Paul Armstrong A structural shift is forming on London’s streets, and too many businesses are still treating it as a [...]
PMG Expands Influencer Marketing Capabilities with Acquisition of London and New York-based Digital Voices January 6, 2026 – Addition enhances PMG’s ability to connect culture, media, technology, and creator marketing to drive greater impact for customers globally –