Delay fuel duty hike or risk stalling major transport projects, Labour warned May 1, 2026 The government risks stalling key road and rail infrastructure projects unless it extends the freeze to fuel duty, a leading construction industry body has warned. The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), which represents more than 2,000 firms providing construction machinery and expertise, told City AM “nothing will get built” if its members pull back from projects [...]
Hiring freezes loom as business confidence remains near record low May 1, 2026 British business leaders are bracing for hiring freezes as headcount expectations dropped into negative territory again, according to new data from the Institute of Directors. The IoD’s economic confidence Index edged up to -64 in April from -76 in March, remaining close to historic lows. But headcount expectations slipped to minus three from zero in [...]
Bank of England signals interest rate hikes ahead despite April hold April 30, 2026 The Bank of England has all but confirmed that interest rates will be hiked in the coming months as oil prices have shot up, despite opting to hold them in a meeting on Thursday. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee warned interest rates could climb back to 5.25 per cent from the current level of 3.75 [...]
Persimmon: Housebuilder sounds alarm over building cost inflation April 30, 2026 Leading housebuilder Persimmon has sounded the alarm over rising supply costs due to the Iran war as demand begins to soften. The housebuilder, one of the UK’s largest, said on Thursday it is beginning to see inflation in its supply chain, which it said could impact its finances as soon as the second half of [...]
Twilight zone: Markets await ‘highly uncertain’ interest rates decision April 30, 2026 City analysts are eagerly anticipating a “highly uncertain” Bank of England decision on interest rates that could swing prices in either direction. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee is widely expected to hold interest rates at its upcoming decision at 12pm on Thursday, though analysts have warned that a vote split and hawkish messaging around the [...]
Special relationship: Americans snub champagne in favour of English fizz April 29, 2026 Americans are flocking to English wine and snubbing champagne, the boss of England’s biggest winemaker has said. Kent-based Chapel Down said consumers across the Atlantic are fuelling record demand for English sparkling wine, as the AIM-listed firm bets big on the US market. Chief executive James Pennefather told City AM: “Americans are really embracing Chapel [...]
FICO UK Credit Card Market Report: February 2026 April 29, 2026 Balances show signs of stabilising as payment rates trend down, with missed payment balance levels remaining higher than in 2025
Housing stocks drag on FTSE as inflation woes build into Bank of England interest rates call April 28, 2026 Fears about the impact of interest rates on the UK’s struggling economy echoed around the City into this week’s set-piece interest rate meeting at the Bank of England. A trio of Tuesday trading updates from London-listed firms with direct exposure to the housing market revealed rising costs. The insight reverberated across an industry which depends on affordable mortgages [...]
Government borrowing costs soar as Iran war drags on April 28, 2026 The government’s borrowing costs have risen to their joint highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, after a sharp jump in the oil price prompted a sell-off in UK debt because of concerns over inflation. The yield on the 10-year gilt – the main benchmark for any government’s long-term ability to borrow – climbed back [...]
BP reports highest profits since 2023 off the back of Iran war April 28, 2026 Oil and gas giant BP has reported its highest quarterly profit since 2023 in its latest trading update, as the group capitalised on rising oil prices sparked by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In its first results since the war in Iran broke out in February, BP reported a surge in profits to [...]