Third of first-time buyers rely on bank of mum and dad March 18, 2026 Around a third of first-time buyers receive help from family and more than half rely on at least two full-time incomes, as access to first-time home ownership has collapsed this century. As many as 52 per cent of first-time buyers now rely on at least two incomes, up from just 40 per cent in the [...]
Housing market struggles for momentum as Iran war looms March 12, 2026 The UK housing market is struggling for momentum as uncertainty caused by the Iran war prompts banks to hike mortgage rates and pull deals. New buyer inquiries weakened in February as 26 per cent of property professionals reported a fall in interest, up from 15 per cent in January, according to the Royal Institution of [...]
‘Easiest time to rent in six years’ as housing supply improves March 11, 2026 Renters in the UK are enjoying the lowest level of competition for homes in six years, as price growth slows and stock increases. While 6.5 renters competed for every property last year, the average number of enquiries per home is now 4.8 – the lowest rate since 2020, according to Zoopla’s quarterly rental market report. [...]
From start-up to scale-up: shifting the focus to support for female entrepreneurs March 10, 2026 As part of our partnership with Scale and the Women Who Scale initiative, City AM sat down with Sam Smith, the former chief executive of FinnCap, to discuss one of the key challenges holding back female start-up founders and what can be done to help female-led scaleups. While the spotlight often shines on the funding [...]
Hiring intentions at lowest level in nearly 15 years March 8, 2026 British businesses are the most pessimistic about hiring they have been in nearly 15 years, according to consultancy firm BDO. UK bosses are facing difficult hiring decisions as the cost of employment ramps up, with the BDO’s employment index at its weakest reading since March 2011. The index, which reflects hiring intentions, held at 93.30 [...]
Women Who Scale unveils speaker line up for April Scale summit March 5, 2026 The female founder initiative Women Who Scale has announced its speaker lineup for its sessions at the Scale Expo and Summit in April. The summit will take place at London’s Business Design Centre on 22 and 23 April, in partnership with City AM. The Women Who Scale initiative brings together the UK’s most influential female [...]
Microsoft hops on Lizzie line in search for new London HQ February 25, 2026 Microsoft has hopped on the Elizabeth Line in its search for a new London headquarters, with the US tech giant eyeing up Paddington and Canary Wharf as potential homes. The tech firm needs upwards of 200,000 sq ft from its new office and is seeking advice from CBRE, according to the Financial Times. Office space [...]
Third of London homes cheaper to buy than to rent as prices fall February 25, 2026 More than a third of London homes are now cheaper to buy than to rent as house prices in the capital shrunk in the last year. The proportion of London houses which are cheaper to buy with a mortgage has doubled since last year, from 18 to 36 per cent, while still lower than the [...]
Greggs deals help Gerald Ronson’s forecourt business post £100m profit February 11, 2026 The petrol forecourt empire owned by City veteran Gerald Ronson has turned a profit just shy of £100m after an expansion in the firm’s partnership with Greggs. GMR Capital, the parent company behind forecourt firm Rontec, posted pre-tax profit of £98.4m for the year to end September 2025, a jump of 6 per cent compared [...]
UK labour market weakens as hiring and pay growth cools February 8, 2026 The UK labour market continued to lose momentum at the start of 2026, with falling employment, weak hiring demand and easing wage growth reinforcing signs of a sustained slowdown. BDO’s Employment Index fell for a third consecutive month in January to 93.30, its lowest level since March 2011, as businesses pulled back on recruitment amid persistent cost [...]