Mortgage approvals bounce back after two-year low March 30, 2026 Mortgage approvals have bounced back after slumping to a two-year low last month, suggesting the property market was regaining momentum before the Iran war shocked global markets. The number of approved mortgages for house purchases increased to 62,600 in February, up from the two-year low of 60,200 in January, according to the Bank of England. [...]
How Bishopsgate became London’s Midtown Manhattan for law firms March 26, 2026 If you’ve had the pleasure of visiting a top law firm in London, you might mistake yourself for being in an episode of smash US legal drama (and Duchess of Sussex starring) Suits. Increasingly City firms’ offices have a more American feel to them. In the City of London, it is not just a race [...]
Rocco Forte: Inheritance tax grab has endangered my family firm March 25, 2026 With luxury outposts across Europe, and plans to expand to the Gulf, Rocco Forte Hotels has become one of Britain’s most successful hospitality exports. But after being hit by a wave of damaging policies – including a potentially existential inheritance tax crackdown – he tells Ali Lyon, he is more disillusioned with Britain now, than [...]
London skyscrapers under pressure as construction costs mount March 24, 2026 The cost of building London skyscrapers has soared by 40 per cent in five years as pressure on the capital’s high-rise property market mounts. The average cost of building a tower in the capital has increased from between £3,800 and £4,300 per square metre in 2020 to between £5,200 and £6,500 last year, according to [...]
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 [...]