‘We’d love an apprentice – but the government has made it too expensive’ August 26, 2026 Small companies around Britain are facing a cost of business crisis. Bowers & Jones, an award-winning manufacturing firm, tells City AM that changes to the minimum wage have priced it out of employing apprentices. When Jane Somerville led a management buyout of her manufacturing firm and shifted its entire factory across the West Midlands in [...]
Gatwick takes ‘significant’ passenger hit from Iran war August 26, 2026 Gatwick has suffered a “significant” decline in passenger numbers as a result of the Iran war after airlines cancelled flights to the region and holidaymakers swerved destinations like Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. The UK’s second-biggest airport saw total passenger numbers drop by nearly five per cent because of the Middle East conflict, weighing on revenue [...]
Energy price cap rises to three-year high August 26, 2026 Brits are set for another squeeze from energy bills this winter after watchdog Ofgem confirmed the price cap was set to rise to a three-year high. The regulator said on Wednesday the default tariff for consumers across Britain would increase four per cent to £1,723 for the final quarter of the year. The rise marks [...]
As it happened: Antofagasta leads FTSE 100 rally; oil falls as US-Iran deal ‘close’ August 26, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. The UK’s blue-chip index slipped on Wednesday morning, dragged down by oil majors BP and Shell, before recovering later in the day to be level with Tuesday’s close. Brent crude – the international benchmark – fell by more than two per cent on Wednesday to $86 [...]
State pension set to pile pain on next generation of taxpayers, Healey warned August 26, 2026 The state pension is set to be the main driver of tax for the next generation of taxpayers, a Labour-linked think tank has warned in a paper that urged Chancellor John Healey to levy higher charges on wealth rather than income. New research from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the former employer of [...]
FTSE 100 creeps closer to record high as investors dodge AI turmoil August 25, 2026 The FTSE 100 is creeping toward another record high after logging its best run in three months, as investors hunt for stocks detached from AI and tech. London’s blue chip index has recorded five straight days of gains and ticked up 0.18 per cent on Tuesday to trade at 10,875 by 11:45am. If it continues [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 jumps in best streak since May; Vistry, Melrose lead risers August 25, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. The blue-chip index jumped on Tuesday to extend its best winning streak since May. Melrose Industries led the FTSE 100 after the completion of a probe into a chemical incident in California, while Vistry gained 18 per cent on the FTSE 250 after winning cash in [...]
Budget 2026: Which taxes will Burnham and Healey hike? August 25, 2026 With interest rates on course to remain elevated and a new government keen to win over sceptical voters with cost-of-living measures, economists think tax rises at October’s Budget are all but guaranteed. But where will the new Chancellor look for revenue? Ali Lyon and Mauricio Alencar examine the most likely revenue raisers. Speak to any [...]
Morrisons pledges to slash prices as price war intensifies August 24, 2026 Morrisons has pledged to match prices with its rivals on hundreds of products, as the debt-ridden grocer ramps up an emerging price war between UK supermarkets. The private-equity-owned supermarket has vowed that 500 of its “everyday essentials” will not be found cheaper at any of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi or Lidl. Britain’s supermarkets are fighting [...]
Can debt-ridden Morrisons become a Big Four supermarket again? August 22, 2026 “Nothing but difficult” is how one retail analyst describes the road ahead for Morrisons boss Rami Batiéh. Since taking charge of the grocer in November 2023, the chief executive has faced an uphill battle, as the group – once a firm member of the UK’s ‘big four’ – is outpaced by its rivals. Batiéh, whose [...]