FTSE 100 Live: Budget and bubbles continue to set agenda November 17, 2025 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. We are now just over a week out from the Labour government’s second Budget and last week rogue Westminster briefings sent ripples through markets. After continuous weeks and media outings teasing a manifesto-breaking income tax hike, the government rowed back with several reports pointing to [...]
George Osborne surprise contender for HSBC chair post November 15, 2025 Former Chancellor George Osborne has emerged as a surprise contender for chair of HSBC Holdings, one of the world’s top banking jobs. Osborne, who was chancellor from 2010 until 2016, was approached during the summer about becoming the successor to Sir Mark Tucker, according to Sky News. He is one of the three remaining candidates [...]
Lloyds and Natwest shares fall in ‘perfect combination’ of fears November 14, 2025 Lloyds and Natwest shares were among the top fallers on the FTSE 100 index on Friday as a combination of fears weighed upon City stocks. The FTSE 350 bank index lost 2.17 per cent over the course of the day amid a widespread sell off across the blue-chip index. The FTSE 100 fell 1.1 per [...]
HSBC on hunt for new Europe chief after top boss departs November 13, 2025 HSBC is on the new hunt for a new top boss at its continental Europe arm with its current chief set to depart at the end of the year. Europe’s largest lender said on Thursday that Andrew Wild would exit his role after nearly four years due to family reasons. Wild first joined the bank [...]
Starmer promised a calmer politics – how’s that working out? November 13, 2025 They say that if you’re explaining, you’re losing. That quote, attributed to Ronald Reagan, came to mind yesterday as I watched Keir Starmer squirm his way through howls of laughter in the House of Commons as he insisted “we are a united team.” This was fish in a barrel stuff for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, [...]
FTSE 100 Live: ITV and Sky takeover chatter; House prices rise November 7, 2025 Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. Yesterday, the Bank of England cut rates in a 5-4 decision with Governor Andrew Bailey playing decider. Policymakers at the Bank said the crunch decision weighed up contractions in the jobs market, which could lower inflation levels, and high inflation expectations of around 4 per cent among [...]
Banks set to escape tax raid from Rachel Reeves after lobbying November 6, 2025 Rachel Reeves is expected to avoid a cash grab on Britain’s banking titans in her forthcoming autumn Budget after the industry flagged concerns around international competitiveness. The Chancellor is understood to be hesitant on targeting the banks for a cash raid after a string of warnings from top industry chiefs on the impact on economic [...]
Ex-CEO faces trial for allegedly urging MPs to block Chinese-backed acquisition November 5, 2025 The High Court is set to hear a case over an allegation against a former interim CEO of an aerospace firm who is accused of secretly lobbying MPs and the UK government to sabotage a Chinese-backed deal. The case follows a national security review by the UK government into a deal that could have led [...]
Rachel Reeves’ banking reforms ‘unlikely to be transformative’ November 3, 2025 Rachel Reeves’ financial services growth mission faces a major blow with top City voices warning her regulatory reforms won’t be transformative. The Chancellor unveiled her Leeds Reform package intended to “rewire the financial services industry” in July this year. Whilst the moves were cheered by industry bigwigs, analysts have raised concerns the changes will fail [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Brave Bison eyes takeover, Ryanair earnings jump November 3, 2025 Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. 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 in October [...]