Wetherspoon issues profit warning over ‘substantial’ cost hikes May 6, 2026 JD Wetherspoon has warned it could miss profit targets over “substantial increases in costs,” as pubs brace for soaring energy and shipping prices due to the Iran war. The UK’s best-known pub chain confirmed on Tuesday that the much-feared knock-on effects from the blockage to the Strait of Hormuz have begun to hit hospitality firms. [...]
‘Political choice’: Retailers urge government to act on rising costs May 6, 2026 Retailers have urged the government to cut tax and red tape to counter soaring energy costs caused by the Iran war. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), an industry trade body, has accused Labour of making a “political choice” not to cut energy taxes and delay costly regulation to avoid the worst shop inflation. The effective [...]
Bank of England says quantitative easing programme to cost taxpayer £125bn May 6, 2026 The Bank of England’s historic quantitative easing programme is poised to cost the taxpayer £125bn when it is complete, according to updated central bank estimates, prompting calls for the central bank to pause its costly attempt to unwind the policy. In an update on its ‘asset purchase facility’ – the tool the Bank of England [...]
IGI Reports First Quarter of 2026 Unaudited Financial Results May 5, 2026 International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. (“IGI” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: IGIC) today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2026. Highlights for the first quarter of 2026 include: (in millions of U.S. Dollars, except percentages and per share information) Quarter Ended March 31, 2026 2025 Gross written premiums $197.2 $206.5 Net premiums [...]
KBRA Assigns Preliminary Ratings to GS Mortgage-Backed Securities Trust 2026-IRRP1 DAC May 5, 2026 KBRA Europe (KBRA) assigns preliminary ratings to six classes of notes to be issued by GS Mortgage-Backed Securities Trust 2026-IRRP1 DAC, a static RMBS securitisation collateralised by predominantly reperforming mortgage loans. As of 31 March 2026, the underlying collateral is a €459.7 million portfolio consisting of €451.2 million seasoned first lien performing and reperforming mortgages [...]
HMRC handed red card in £584,000 football referee tax lawsuit May 5, 2026 HMRC has lost a long-running legal battle against the UK’s football refereeing body over the employment status of 60 referees, after the tax authority issued a £584,000 tax bill. In a judgment on Friday, the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) upheld that the referees were self-employed and not employed by the body, the Professional Game Match [...]
London City 7s returns with capital crying out for live rugby May 5, 2026 Dan James, founder of the London City 7s, pens his first of a new monthly column on short-form rugby in the capital. Rugby sevens has long been the better looking but somewhat inconsequential younger cousin of the traditional 15s game. If you were lucky enough to be one of the 113,000-plus fans in the record-breaking [...]
OCTO and Sedgwick Announce Strategic Telematics Partnership May 5, 2026 OCTO, a global leader in telematics and data analytics, today announced a strategic partnership with Sedgwick, the world’s leading provider of claims and risk management solutions. Together, the two companies will reshape the future of insurance and mobility by combining advanced telematics with claims management services. The collaboration aims to create a new model where [...]
euroAtlantic Airways Appoints Pauls Calitis as CEO to Lead Next Phase of Growth May 5, 2026 euroAtlantic Airways (“EAA”), a leading global provider of passenger widebody aircraft wet-leasing and charter services, and Njord Partners portfolio company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Pauls Calitis as Chief Executive Officer, effective 18 May 2026. Pauls will succeed Stewart Higginson, who has served as CEO since early 2024 and who will assume the [...]
The Moment of AI Truth for Property & Casualty Insurance: Trailblazers See 21% Higher Revenue Growth While Broader Industry Lags May 5, 2026 The 10% of insurers that have advanced AI capabilities are outperforming peers on revenue growth and share price Trailblazers are scaling beyond AI pilots through strategic implementation, comprehensive training and explainable AI tools