Land Rover Defender Octa review: driving the all-terrain action hero March 18, 2025 Ever since 1948, Land Rovers have been clambering over rocks, wading across rivers and squelching through muddy ruts. The new Defender Octa is different. This steroidal SUV wasn’t born for ambling along green lanes; it leaps and bounds across rough ground like a rally-raid car. In 77 years, there has never been a Land Rover [...]
Global investors flee the US and return to UK stocks March 18, 2025 Global investors have fled US stocks at their fastest rate on record in favour of UK stocks, making their highest allocation to British equities since June 2021. UK equities were the third most overweight sector from global investors this month, beaten out only by utilities and banking stocks, Bank of America’s latest Global Fund Manager [...]
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s theatre empire braced for Reeves’ tax hike March 18, 2025 Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s theatre empire has warned it is bracing for the “notable impact” the hike in employer’s National Insurance contributions (NICs) when it comes into force next month. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her Budget in October 2024 that NICs would rise by 1.2 per cent from April to 15 per cent in [...]
Close Brothers shares plunge as motor finance costs mount March 18, 2025 Banking group Close Brothers plunged to a £104m loss in the first half of 2025 after the firm set aside provisions for the motor finance scandal. The lender recorded a pre-tax loss in the first half of its 2025 financial year, compared to a profit of £88.1m in the same period of 2024 due to [...]
PM’s growth rhetoric does not match reality March 18, 2025 Stirring words from the Prime Minister in today’s City AM, with Keir Starmer vowing to unleash the “animal spirits” of the private sector. He knows his audience, I’ll give him that; City AM readers know better than anyone just how important businesses large and small are to the country’s prosperity. It wasn’t very long ago [...]
The City risks falling for the disturbing trend of ‘anticipatory obedience’ March 18, 2025 Jumping the gun on government rules such as DEI is a disturbing trend which the City must resist, writes Lucy McNulty.
The ringers keeping the bells swinging in the Square Mile March 18, 2025 As bell ringing faces an uncertain future, Carys Sharkey goes to meet the people keeping the tradition alive in the City One late Thursday afternoon I made my way down from Cheapside, passing the thronging pubs spilling out onto Watling Street amid the chatter and clatter of post-work drinks. I turned onto Garlick Hill to the [...]
Signing up to a new AI tool? For the love of God, read the small print! March 18, 2025 Influencers are flogging AI programmes as "neat little tools", but failing to read the small print could prove costly, writes Paul Armstrong.
Global women’s sport set to hit £2bn in revenues in 2025 March 18, 2025 Global revenues across women’s elite sport will reach nearly £2bn in 2025, according to Deloitte. Basketball and football continue to lead growth across the sector – combined revenues from the whole of women’s sport are set to rise by over 240 per cent in just four years. The report backs up the “growth mode” storyline [...]
UK economy facing recession risk as Spring Statement looms March 17, 2025 Britain’s fragile jobs market indicates that a recession is looming for the UK economy, a leading think tank has warned. Chancellor Rachel Reeves defended the government’s economic record in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Monday, claiming most major economies around the world are facing lower growth than expected. But the Resolution Foundation said the UK [...]