Motor finance, Madoff fraud, tax fears – bank shares defy the noise October 31, 2025 A motor finance battle, hefty impairment charges and the shadow of 2008 all cast over banks third-quarter results but beneath the fog investors are rewarding the FTSE 100’s top lenders for another bumper quarter. The FTSE 350 banks index has risen nearly four per cent this month and is up 17 per cent for the [...]
Exclusive: The Old Vic reveals first new performance space in 207 years October 30, 2025 The Old Vic’s co-CEO Laura Stevenson talks to City AM about the theatre’s new ‘Backstage’ development, which includes a new 100-seater theatre, and cafe and restaurant Photo of Laura by Jonny Ruff In The Old Vic theatre’s new 100-seater performance space, modern lighting rigs are fitted inches from wooden ceiling rafters dating back to the [...]
The angel’s share: The unique challenges of whisky lending October 30, 2025 At its core, the process of lending money to businesses isn’t particularly complex. Banks and other lenders price loans based on the risk of lending, calculated by assessing a company’s assets, liabilities and cash flow. But how do you price the risk of a business that requires a substantial upfront investment, won’t see a return [...]
OpenAI eyes $1 trillion IPO as soon as 2026 October 30, 2025 OpenAI has begun preparations for a blockbuster float that could see the tech juggernaut valued at as much as $1 trillion (£750bn). The ChatGPT maker is understood to be considering filing IPO paperwork as soon as the second half of 2026, with the listing taking place later that year or early the following year. OpenAI [...]
Trump’s DEI crackdown sparks ethics exodus across UK businesses October 30, 2025 US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on initiatives such as diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) and environmental sustainability has drifted across the Atlantic. According to research by law firm Freeths, over half of UK businesses (54 per cent) have changed the way they approach ethical policies and practices. While over a quarter (28 per cent) have [...]
Forvis Mazars tax partner: I’m confident we can handle the next 12 months October 30, 2025 Raj Bhundia, tax partner at Forvis Mazars, takes us through his career, favourite City spots and his confidence for the next year.
Exclusive: Liz Kendall bets £55bn to close UK innovation gap October 30, 2025 Britain’s new tech secretary, Liz Kendall, insists the government’s record £55bn R&D package marks a turning point for UK innovation, but with the country still lagging global rivals in key sectors, questions remain over whether even this scale of investment can close the gap. The funding, confirmed on Thursday by the Department for Science, Innovation [...]
London’s broken listings regime is pushing British firms out the door October 30, 2025 Every firm that abandons its London listing makes the next departure more likely, says Paul Scully During my four years as Minister for London, I championed our capital as a global business hub. I welcomed the work of the Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority on reforms to make our markets more competitive. But as [...]
War of words heats up as private credit bosses round on banks October 29, 2025 The war of words between banks and private credit ratcheted up on Wednesday, after a trio of bosses from private lenders rounded on claims their industry played a pivotal role in a string of recent debt-related collapses, branding it “misinformation”. During a fiery evidence session in the House of Lords, executives from alternative investment giants [...]
Christmas markets 2025: London’s 9 best foodie and shopping spots October 29, 2025 The best Christmas markets: 2025 welcomes new additions alongside the classic returners Now that the clocks have changed, it is officially the season: many of the capital’s festive markets are preparing to open for the festivities. Dress up warm: here’s our pick of where to shop for anything from a delicious mulled wine to a [...]