Fifa boss Infantino defends 2026 World Cup ticket prices, citing demand December 29, 2025 Fifa boss Gianni Infantino has defended the price of tickets for next year’s World Cup. Football’s governing body has come under intense pressure surrounding the cost of tickets, with the cheapest seat at next summer’s final costing over £3,000. Infantino’s Fifa was forced to introduce capped tickets for some fans of the teams competing at [...]
London exhibitions 2026: From Tracey Emin to Anish Kapoor December 29, 2025 While the political and economic outlook for next year may appear as bleak as the one that preceded it, we can at least take some solace from a packed cultural calendar. London’s galleries are packed with exhibitions that promise to give art lovers a boost, from the biggest retrospective of Tracey Emin in decades to [...]
UK investors plan to boost portfolios in 2026 December 29, 2025 Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of investors with at least £100,000 in assets plan to increase the amounts they put away in 2026 despite market uncertainties, a survey indicates. More than a fifth (23 per cent) said they will look to bolster their portfolio significantly, according to the research for Scottish Widows. Despite market challenges, [...]
Flight prices set to jump as regional airports set for rocketing tax bills December 29, 2025 Air passengers are being warned to brace for flight prices to jump as regional airports across the UK face “unprecedented” rises in property tax next year. Analysis of official Government data for the Press Association has revealed regional airports are among those facing the steepest increases in business rates of any sector in the UK [...]
Trump: Ukraine peace deal ‘closer than ever before’ December 29, 2025 Donald Trump said talks to secure a US-backed peace deal for Ukraine are “closer than ever before” after he met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida. But the two leaders acknowledged there are still “thorny issues” remaining. Mr Trump, the US president, has said talks on a security guarantee – a key plank of [...]
Could this be 2026’s hottest stock market? December 29, 2025 Global equity markets were dominated by US tech stocks this year, with indices whipsawing as investors either piled money into markets or abruptly pulled out depending on the strength of AI sentiment. The Nasdaq rocketed up 19.5 per cent, hitting its peak of $23,958.47 (£17,949.09) in October, while Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ caused the index to hit [...]
NBA return to pump £100m into economy as London gears up for 2026 December 29, 2025 NBA’s two-year return to the UK is expected to boost the economy by £100m as top flight basketball ends its six-year hiatus. Memphis Grizzlies will host Orlando Magic at the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena in January 2026 before Manchester’s Co-op Live hosts its first regular season NBA match in 2027. Between the two matches the UK [...]
Financial services to plough cash into UK defence in 2026 December 29, 2025 Financial services are planning to pump cash into the UK’s defence sector next year after facing pressure to ramp up investment amid increased geopolitical tensions. Nearly two-thirds of financial services leaders expect the sector to increase investment in UK defence in 2026, with more than a quarter anticipating that investment will rise “much more” over [...]
Motor finance: What’s next for banks and consumers in 2026? December 29, 2025 The City watchdog wrapped up the consultation on its motor finance redress in December but the two-year long scandal threatens to rumble on into the new year. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) pushed the deadline for feedback on its scheme to 12 December after it was originally pencilled in for 18 November. The delay came [...]
Ticket touts exploit Coldplay, Oasis, Billie Eilish demand December 28, 2025 Coldplay, Oasis and Billie Eilish were the most touted artists of 2025, with fans paying up to £800 per ticket on resale sites, according to new research from O2. The telecoms giant, which sold 1.7 million live event tickets via its ‘Priority’ platform last year, warned that the booming secondary market is leaving millions of [...]