Mark Kleinman: Industry steels itself for long road to recovery March 19, 2026 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his City PM column Industry steels itself for long road to recovery Steel yourselves: I make no apology for returning for the umpteenth time in this column to the future of the UK’s beleaguered steel industry. More than five years since [...]
Interest rates set to be held as Bank backs ‘defensible strategy’ March 19, 2026 The Bank of England is set to hold interest rates at a crunch decision this afternoon as policymakers will opt for a “defensible strategy” in the face of uncertainty from the war in the Middle East. Markets have all but priced in a pause in interest rate cuts on Thursday, with most Monetary Policy Committee [...]
Zopa Bank’s profit booms despite ‘penalised’ motor finance hit March 19, 2026 Zopa Bank cruised to its third consecutive year of profitability in 2025 but has offered a stark warning it feels “penalised” by the UK’s financial watchdog after getting swept up in the motor finance scandal. The Canary Wharf fintech has set aside £7.9m in provisions for the car mis-selling saga, which centres around the use [...]
International investment into UK businesses dips March 19, 2026 High-growth British companies with international founders have seen significantly reduced cash injections from overseas over the last five years, raising concerns around inward investment into the UK. Sums raised by these companies have dropped 36 per cent since 2021, according to the latest analysis from Rathbones using data gathered from Companies House filings. The number [...]
UK to raise steel tariffs in bid to ‘save domestic production’ March 19, 2026 The UK government has reduced steel import quotas and raised tariffs to 50 per cent outside unit limits as part of a strategy to save the industry, an “bold” move that is likely to draw criticism from economists and opposition groups. Quotas for imports free from the higher tariffs will be reduced by 60 per [...]
London luxury property market extends slump as Iran war knocks confidence March 19, 2026 London’s luxury property market continued its slump in February as market confidence took a hit from the Iran war just as it began to recover from last year’s Budget. There were 31 per cent fewer sales for prime properties – which defines those in the top five per cent of the market – this February [...]
Ex-Google executive puts AI hiring under scrutiny March 18, 2026 A former Google Cloud executive has put AI hiring and its consequences under renewed scrutiny in a US courtroom. The unnamed ex-Big Tech employee’s testimony revolved around how automated, agentic systems are increasingly shaping recruitment decisions, not at the final interview stage, but much earlier, where candidates are filtered, ranked and, in many cases, excluded. [...]
Sir James Dyson buys 50 per cent stake in top flight English sport club March 18, 2026 One of the UK’s richest men, Sir James Dyson, has purchased 50 per cent of Prem Rugby champions Bath. The long-time fan of the West Country Club, which won three trophies last season, has converted his front-of-shirt support for the club – through Dyson – into a 50 per cent ownership stake in the Blue, [...]
‘Panic mode’: FTSE 100 sinks as oil spikes on Iran’s energy threats March 18, 2026 Markets were thrown into “panic mode” on Wednesday as the surging price of oil rattled global equities. The price of Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil – spiked as much as five per cent to $110 per barrel as energy facilities across the Gulf faced evacuation following the latest threats from Iran. The [...]
MPs urge government to escape ‘regulation by default’ March 18, 2026 Ministers should overhaul the government’s approach to regulation as adding new rules has become an “easy” tool, according to a report backed by MPs from across the political spectrum. Researchers at Re:State, a non-partisan think tank focusing on growth and Whitehall governance, said justification for new red tape should have a higher bar and be [...]
