Fifa defends World Cup ticket prices: ‘We had to apply market rates’ May 6, 2026 Fifa president Gianni Infantino has defended the price of tickets at this summer’s World Cup, insisting football’s world governing body “had to apply market rates”. Tickets for the tournament are the most expensive in its history and have triggered a wave of criticism, including a formal complaint from a fans’ group to the European Commission. [...]
FTSE 100 banks are facing £2.5bn of headwinds – HSBC and Barclays are in the firing line May 6, 2026 The FTSE 100’s Big Five banks toasted a healthy profit stash in the first-quarter, but, says Samuel Norman, storm clouds are gathering on the horizon for the sector. The London market’s five biggest banks swallowed a bitter cocktail of economic risks in the first three months of the year leaving a bumper cash haul overshadowed [...]
City watchdog probes Mastercard, Visa, Paypal for alleged anti-competitive conduct May 6, 2026 The City watchdog has confirmed it is investigating a trio of payments giants over alleged anti-competitive conduct. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will probe Mastercard, Paypal and Visa under the Competition Act 1998 regarding its suspected conduct related to the “funding and usage” of Paypal’s digital wallet. Paypal’s digital wallet is an app-based system that [...]
WH Smith successor to shut 150 stores in ‘aggressive’ restructuring May 6, 2026 The owner of WH Smith’s former high street stores is set to shut as many as 150 of them as part of an “aggressive” overhaul which will put jobs at risk. Modella Capital bought the stationer’s 480 high street stores for £40m last year, and is now set to shut more than a quarter of [...]
Cinema chain Vue eyes blockbuster £1.5bn sale or listing May 6, 2026 Vue is bringing in bankers to oversee a float or sale which could value the cinema titan at as much as £1.5bn, according to reports. The British cinema chain, helmed by Canadian founder Tim Richards, has been interviewing banks in recent days as it pencils in the formal appointment of advisors later this year. Vue [...]
Who Gives a Crap: The toilet roll tycoon making a splash May 6, 2026 Simon Griffiths founded Who Gives a Crap toilet paper with the philanthropic aim of ensuring everyone has access to a clean toilet. He has raised £11m so far, but Griffiths tells Felix Armstrong that’s not nearly enough “I was always an entrepreneurial kid at school,” Simon Griffiths says, as he explains the complex process of [...]
Arsenal Champions League final run banks £123m and sets up record revenue May 6, 2026 Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final has already banked the club more than £120m in prize money, paving the way for their highest-earning season ever. The north Londoners reached the final for only the second time in their history in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid, which clinched a 2-1 aggregate victory. And the [...]
Oil price pulls back and FTSE 100 rebounds after ‘TACO’ Trump post May 6, 2026 Oil prices took a step back from a gradual climb on Wednesday after President Trump announced he would pause his military escort operation through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting analysts to joke that the “TACO” president was back. The Brent crude oil price slipped below $100 per barrel amid hopes of a peace deal being [...]
London local election results 2026: Labour lose Westminster as Tories take control May 6, 2026 CLICK HERE to view all the latest London election results The Conservatives have gained Westminster City Council from Labour after losing in 2022. The Tories pinched nine seats from Labour, who slumped to 22. No surprise now that, as earlier reported, the atmosphere among Tory campaigners in Westminster was jubilant. CLICK HERE to view all the latest [...]
London local elections results 2026: Labour lose Wandsworth council May 6, 2026 CLICK HERE to view all the latest London election results Labour has lost an incredibly tight contest in the west London borough of Wandsworth. The Conservatives picked up eight extra seats to take their total to 29, while Labour lost six to slump to 28. The Tories had been eyeing a takeover in Wandsworth, but the borough [...]