British shoppers turn to AI as London high street sales falter January 7, 2026 As our beloved high streets grapple with rising business costs, decaying consumer confidence and yet another bout of tax uncertainty, AI agents are reshaping how consumers shop. A report published by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) warns that that so-called ‘agentic AI’, a quasi-autonomous form of artificial intelligence, could shift from novelty to norm within [...]
WP Engine Acquires Big Bite January 7, 2026 Strategic acquisition of a go-to partner for global publishers adds best-in-class media industry and technical expertise to provide new solutions to enterprise customers
Trump torpor: What explains markets’ muted response to Venezuela and Greenland? January 7, 2026 It is understandable that of the dozens of 2026 market outlook papers published by banks and analysts last month, not one predicted that Venezuela’s autocratic leader, Nicolas Maduro, would be captured in a historic overnight raid just three days into the New Year. Even more forgivable, is the fact none foresaw the rapid escalation of [...]
PMG Expands Influencer Marketing Capabilities with Acquisition of London and New York-based Digital Voices January 6, 2026 – Addition enhances PMG’s ability to connect culture, media, technology, and creator marketing to drive greater impact for customers globally –
Brexit division to return to parliament in bill for EU deal January 6, 2026 New dividing lines are set to open up in parliament over the coming months as the government prepares to lay out a bill to get its EU “reset” deal signed off by MPs. Keir Starmer has signalled his intention to build closer trade ties with the world’s largest economic bloc in a bid to boost [...]
Capitolis Appoints Roy Saadon as Head of Market Development, Portfolio Optimization January 6, 2026 Fintech executive and serial entrepreneur with 25 years’ experience to lead product adoption and expansion into new markets
Future of Bank of England’s Venezuelan gold back in spotlight after Maduro capture January 6, 2026 The foreign secretary has signalled the Bank of England will continue to withhold $4.8bn of Venezuelan gold being held in its vaults, despite the dramatic toppling of the country’s autocratic ruler potentially paving the way to the reserves being returned. Addressing lawmakers late on Monday, Yvette Cooper suggested the government would continue its refusal to [...]
Starmer promised to ‘rewire the state’ so why is the civil service bigger? January 6, 2026 Civil service headcount has reached a 20-year high, bigger than it was during Brexit or Covid. Yet more proof that this Prime Minister’s only belief is in bigger government, says Eliot Wilson When Sir Keir Starmer appointed a new cabinet secretary and head of the civil service at the end of 2024, he made a [...]
London’s future will be determined by choices, not rhetoric January 5, 2026 2026 will be the year the City moves from post-Brexit design to delivery, says Chris Hayward As the new year begins, London’s position as a leading global financial centre is often framed in binary terms: rise or decline. That is no bad thing. Competition sharpens performance, and financial centres that assume their leading position rarely [...]
The six-figure club: Associates at elite US legal firms set for bonus boom December 30, 2025 More than 60 per cent of UK workers aren’t expecting a Christmas bonus this year, but that’s not the case for City lawyers, some of who will receive generous six-figure payouts. Many US law firms operate under the Cravath Scale, named after the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, a transparent lockstep system of associate [...]