eBay snaps up second-hand fashion app Depop in $1.2bn deal February 19, 2026 Online seller eBay has struck a deal to purchase online fashion marketplace Depop for $1.2bn (£890m). The cash deal, expected to be completed by the middle of this year, comes just five years after the second-hand clothing app was acquired by craft marketplace Etsy for $1.6bn (£1.18bn). Peter Semple, Depop’s chief executive, hailed the sale [...]
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct February 19, 2026 Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, the BBC has reported. It comes after increasing pressure on the former Prince after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this morning said “nobody was under the law”. Police were understood to be weighing up allegations that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had [...]
Here’s what the Square Mile skyline will look like in six years February 19, 2026 Canada Corporation has revealed a new CGI skyline showcasing the Square Mile skyscrapers set to be completed in the next six years. The computer-generated images were released to mark a record set of planning permission deals in 2025, which have included the decision to green-light what will be the City’s tallest building, [...]
British Gas owner shares tumble after buyback was paused February 19, 2026 London-listed energy giant Centrica shares plunged nine per cent on Thursday morning after the group paused its share buyback programme in the face of a major earnings hit. The owners of British Gas reported lower 2025 earnings than in the previous year, but the group says it was resilient in a challenging market. The group’s [...]
US markets rally as tech stocks look to boost AI capabilities February 19, 2026 US markets closed higher on Wednesday, as tech stocks reaped the benefits of investors once again brushing off fears of an AI bubble. Tech stock share prices boomed, following reports from Bloomberg that Open AI is close to finalising the first phase of a new funding round, which is expected to bring in more than [...]
Starmer orders tech giants to delete abusive content within 48 hours February 19, 2026 Tech companies will be legally required to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours, or face heavy fines and potential UK blocks, under new measures unveiled by the Prime Minister The proposals, introduced through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, require platforms to act swiftly once content is flagged. Companies that fail to [...]
Rachel Reeves warned ‘dysfunctional’ fiscal rules are hammering economy February 19, 2026 Rachel Reeves has been dealt a scathing assessment of her economic policy by a top think tank, which likened her approach to a driver who was “watching the speedometer” while ignoring other conditions. The Chancellor is facing calls to scrap the self-imposed fiscal rules that prevent her from borrowing to pay for day-to-day spending and [...]
IOC looks tin-eared at best, cruel at worst over Ukraine helmet saga February 19, 2026 The reputations of the IOC and its president Kirsty Coventry have suffered badly from its handling of the Ukraine helmet row at the Winter Olympics, says Ed Warner. Are you not entertained? The Winter Olympics have delivered stories ranging from the titillating (penile injections, condom shortages and a narcissistic declaration of infidelity) to the enraging [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Centrica profit falls; Stocks dip after record rally February 19, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City PM liveblog. It’s been quite the week for the “old and unexciting” FTSE 100. The blue-chip index closed 1.2 per cent higher on Tuesday led by a rally in the mining sector. Antofagasta led the pack up over 10 per cent, which came a day after its [...]
What does the Schroders acquisition mean for Cazenove Capital? February 19, 2026 The City was stunned last Thursday, after one of London’s oldest financial institutions entered a surprise mega deal with an American investment firm. Schroders announced it had agreed a £9.9bn takeover by Nuveen, ending over two centuries of independence for the asset manager. The shock acquisition is set to create one of the world’s largest [...]
