Threats to financial system ‘on steroids’ after AI boom, FCA chief warns Regulation The unchecked rise of artificial intelligence means the level of risk facing the financial system is currently “on steroids”, according to the boss of the Financial Conduct Authority, who warned that excessive “tick-box” rulemaking would fail to keep pace with increasingly complex threats. Speaking at a City of London dinner, Nikil Rathi said risks to [...]
Class action vehicle lawsuit settles at £55m less than original value Legal A class action lawsuit representing millions of UK motorists and businesses affected by inflated shipping fees has settled for £57m less than its original £150m target. The claim, brought by class action representative and former Which? campaigns specialist Mark McLaren, alleged that from October 2006 to September 2015, leading European shipping companies had breached competition [...]
Google to pay £260m to settle ‘unfair’ pricing class action lawsuit Lawsuit Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has agreed to pay £260m to settle a class action lawsuit that alleged the US company imposed “unfair and excessive” charges on app developers selling apps on the Google Play Store. The case, brought to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) by competition law professor Barry Rodger on behalf of UK app [...]
Google Pixel 11 review: Can this new smartphone lure away iPhone users? August 20, 2026 Two years ago I reviewed Google’s folding phone and I was blown away. The extra screen real estate was transformative, particularly for someone like me who spends most of their time on smartphones reading. So enamoured by this device did I become that I ditched my previous handset and made it my own. I confidently [...]
Google backs publisher model as Apple considers price tag for news August 14, 2026 Google said it backs the established system for paying news publishers, even as Apple considers a radically different model that would tie payments to how often its AI assistant uses journalism. The search giant considers itself the only major tech platform with a structured approach to paying publishers at scale, City AM understands, with licensing [...]
Robotaxi rules row drives Waymo-Uber rift ahead of London launch July 28, 2026 A row over how robotaxis should be regulated has become one of the main reasons relations between Waymo and Uber have deteriorated, sources familiar with the matter told City AM, as the companies prepare to launch rival autonomous taxi services in London. At the heart of the ride-hailers’ dispute is whether new rules should favour [...]
AI spending overshadows Alphabet and Tesla earnings July 23, 2026 Wall Street’s biggest tech companies delivered another round of strong earnings on Wednesday, but the primary focus for investors is the growing cost of the artificial intelligence race. Alphabet and Tesla beat revenue expectations, yet their shares fell in after-hours trading after both companies signalled another year of heavy spending on AI infrastructure. Google-owner Alphabet [...]
Milestone Alphabet century bond already under pressure July 23, 2026 Alphabet’s historic century bond has shed more than seven per cent of its value in just five months, amid a wider downturn in long-dated debt and increased scepticism on the earnings potential of the US’s so-called hyperscalers. The sterling-denominated 100-year bond, which the Google owner will not have to repay until 2126, has sold off [...]
Big Tech faces earnings test after AI spending spree July 18, 2026 Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon will report earnings over the next two weeks as investors look for evidence that years of record spending on AI are beginning to generate stronger revenue growth. The three companies have led the AI investment boom, committing billions of dollars to data centres, chips and software. Their latest results are expected [...]
Why even gilts are outperforming the once unstoppable Magnificent 7 this year July 8, 2026 Plagued by sticky inflation and spendthrift politicians, the UK government’s bonds have spent years as an unloved asset class. But six months into 2026 and they have, so far, outperformed the Magnificent 7. Ali Lyon examines what has gone wrong for the so-called hyperscalers even as AI hype is greater than ever. Since the Bank [...]