Iran war to drive up building costs, warns Travis Perkins boss March 17, 2026 The boss of the UK’s largest builders’ merchant has warned building costs are poised to rise as suppliers warn they are facing soaring energy costs. Gavin Slark, the new boss of Travis Perkins, said the conflict in the Middle East and the resulting spike of energy prices will force manufacturers to put up prices to [...]
Football regulator told: Give well-run clubs a bigger slice of game’s billions March 17, 2026 The Independent Football Regulator has been urged to mandate a new deal between the Premier League and English Football League that funnels more money to well-run clubs. The IFR this week published a new consultation on the club licensing regime it will implement from next year, which will give it the power to suspend a [...]
Bank of England ‘should wait’ before cutting interest rates, City AM Shadow MPC says March 17, 2026 The Bank of England should “wait and see” how long the war in Iran goes on for before cutting interest rates again, leading economists on City AM’s Shadow Monetary Policy Committee have said. The crisis in the Middle East has pushed up energy prices and heightened fears that the UK economy is heading for a [...]
Starling on hunt for new chair as Deloitte veteran bows out March 17, 2026 UK fintech Starling is on the hunt for a new chair following the news the firm’s current head would exit later this year. Starling said on Tuesday that David Sproul, the bank’s chair since October 2021, would step down once a successor is appointed. Sproul joined Starling after a near two-decade long career at Big [...]
BMW iX3: Class-leading electric SUV with 500 miles a charge March 17, 2026 ‘This is more than just a new car. It’s the blueprint for all BMWs that will follow – more than 40 new vehicles by the end of 2027.” David George, CEO of BMW Group UK and Ireland, isn’t downplaying the significance of the iX3. The first of a ‘Neue Klasse’ (New Class) range of cars, [...]
Syngenta Builds World-Leading Research Center for Agricultural Bioscience – Powered by Advanced Technology and AI March 17, 2026 New USD 130 million facility to focus on next-generation, sustainable solutions for farming Enhanced commitment to UK as a key hub for global R&D and innovation
RS2 Launches “Beyond by RS2” to Power the Next Generation of European Fintech March 17, 2026 RS2, a Tier-1 global provider of payment processing infrastructure and technology solutions, today announced the launch of Beyond by RS2, a new digital payments brand designed to help fintech companies, platforms, and payment providers rapidly launch card issuing and payment acceptance services across Europe. Built on RS2’s globally proven BankWORKS platform, Beyond by RS2 offers [...]
Why the Southwest 660 is the English coast at its finest March 17, 2026 The southern side of the Bristol Channel is one of the most attractive coastlines in Britain, easily accessible and yet still relatively little-visited, especially outside school holidays. With the bounties of both sea and land, it’s also a foodie paradise, as Sophie Ibbotson discovered. The key to this long weekend is to escape work as [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks inch up; Gas prices surge after drone attacks March 17, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 closed up 0.5 per cent yesterday, settling at 10,317.69p led by a three per cent jump in Endeavour Mining. It came as global markets were brought some reprieve from declining oil prices. The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil [...]
Iran war: Independent pubs face ‘devastating’ energy costs March 17, 2026 Independent pubs could be left vulnerable to spikes in energy costs caused by the Iran war, while their larger competitors enjoy the security of fixed energy deals. Landlords across the UK could face “devastating” costs if energy prices continue to rise, trade body UKHospitality has warned. Blockages to the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping [...]