Sumer Group, champions of SMEs, leading the way towards economic growth December 12, 2025 They tackled Brexit head-on, survived Covid, coped with the impact of the war in Ukraine and battled rising costs. The latest growth forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility presents a further challenge with the OBR reducing their expectations for productivity growth by 0.3ppts to 1 per cent. In times of uncertainty these businesses have [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Blow for Reeves as economy shrank ahead of Budget December 12, 2025 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Today fresh economic data has given another crucial assessment of the Chancellor’s growth agenda. The UK economy shrank 0.1 per cent in October as businesses paused investments amid consistent rumours around upcoming tax hikes in Rachel Reeves’ second Autumn Budget. A Bloomberg poll of City economists had predicted the Office [...]
R360 or Ultimate Sevens: Which rugby project would I invest in? December 12, 2025 Everyone is an investment expert these days, with a proposal they say will save rugby and a project that will see a return on that backing. Whether it is the Prem Rugby franchising project, a developing league in the United States or South America, the delayed R360 proposal or the Ultimate Sevens project; there’s an [...]
Private members’ clubs are the new face of London heritage December 12, 2025 Private members’ clubs have evolved from exclusive retreats for the elite has evolved into a defining force behind one of the most dynamic investment trends in London’s hospitality market: the rise of the club-hotel hybrid, says Daniel Kyriakides London has always excelled at reinventing its own traditions and nowhere is that clearer than in the [...]
Argan, Inc. Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.50 Per Common Share December 11, 2025 Argan, Inc. (NYSE: AGX) (“Argan” or the “Company”) today announces that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend in the amount of $0.50 per share of common stock. The dividend will be payable on January 30, 2026, to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 22, 2026. David Watson, [...]
Giavellotto and Goliath go head-to-head in Hong Kong Vase December 11, 2025 LAST year’s LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (6.10am) hero Giavellotto is bidding to defend his crown in the £2.5 million contest at Sha Tin on Sunday, and will face a strong field of 10 rivals, including 2024 Group 1 King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Goliath. Oisin Murphy rode Giavellotto to victory 12 months ago [...]
Janine Hirt: Brits network differently to Americans December 11, 2025 Each week, we dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, Janine Hirt, CEO of Innovate Finance takes us through her career in Square Mile and Me What was your first job? I held down several odd jobs while working my way through university, including being a librarian, legal assistant, and a [...]
TNS Research Finds Consumers Around the World Want One Thing in Payments: Simplicity December 11, 2025 Transaction Network Services (TNS), a global leader in providing full-stack, modern and secure payment and network solutions, today released its Keeping Payments Simple: Exploring Consumer Demand for Seamless Payment Methods white paper, revealing that despite cultural differences in payment habits across the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, one clear consumer demand unites all markets: [...]
2025: It’s been one hell of a year for UK business December 11, 2025 From political drama to market volatility, cyber attacks, takeovers and trade wars – 2025 has not been plain sailing. January: motor finance and angry farmers We began the year reporting on the exodus from the London stock exchange noting that 2024 had been the quietest year on record for new listings and we suggested that [...]
UK exports forecast downgraded as Labour fails to kickstart trade December 11, 2025 British export growth will fall by almost half next year, a business forecaster has said, with Labour’s string of deals failing to improve hopes of a revival in international trade. The Labour government has made trade a key lever to boost growth prospects, using new deals with the likes of the EU and India to [...]