UK construction productivity still stuck in the 90s, warns industry body November 21, 2025 Productivity in Britain’s construction sector is now lower than in 1997, according to a new report. Decades of under-investment have left delivery capacity “dangerously thin”, a new report by Oxford Economics for the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), Half-Built Britain, has warned. CPA chief Steven Mulholland said the report should serve as a “wake-up call” for [...]
Babcock shares wobble as investors split on performance November 21, 2025 Engineering and defence giant Babcock has seen its share prices wobble in morning trading, as investors were split over the group’s first half of the year performance. The FTSE 100 company saw revenue shoot up 7 per cent to £2.54bn, while profit before tax climbed 19 per cent to £201.1m, bolstered by strong performances from [...]
PM set to formally approve new Chinese embassy November 21, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer is expected to give his formal seal of approval to a controversial new Chinese mega-embassy at Royal Mint Court, with the backing of the security services. According to a report in The Times, the approval is set to be a ‘formality’. The Home Office and Foreign Office – and, by extension, MI5 [...]
Join City PM and guests for a LIVE broadcast on Budget Day November 21, 2025 After months of speculation and mounting political drama, Rachel Reeves will deliver her second Budget at noon on Wednesday 26 November. City PM‘s team will bring you all the news throughout the day on our Live Blog via citypm.eu and the City PM App, along with a special livestream broadcast from the heart of the [...]
Massa’s £64m trial a risk for Bernie Ecclestone, lawyer warns November 21, 2025 Filipe Massa’s £64m damages claim proceeding to trial represents a risk to Bernie Ecclestone and Formula 1, a top lawyer has warned. Brazilian Massa’s case against Ecclestone, Formula 1 and motorsport’s governing body the FIA saw a judgment handed down this week at London’s High Court saying parts of the claim can go to trial. [...]
Fiscal uncertainty has become one of Britain’s biggest taxes November 21, 2025 Britain's bi-annual tradition of holding a fiscal circus is paralysing investment and creating its own tax, writes Liam Byrne MP.
Retail sales drop in pre-Budget disappointment November 21, 2025 Retail sales fell 1.1 per cent in October, following a 0.7 per cent rise last month, in a “disappointing” start to the all-important festive season ahead of the budget next week. Sales in clothing were particularly affected as shoppers took a more cautious approach, with spending “constrained by consumer nervousness amid mixed messaging from a [...]
Clifford Chance AI-driven redundancies hit London business service roles November 21, 2025 Law firm Clifford Chance is preparing for dozens of redundancies after launching a restructuring of its London business services team. Around 10 per cent of the 550 employees are set to lose their jobs, according to the Financial Times. It was reported that the magic circle firm told staff last month that greater use of [...]
UK government borrowing overshoots in Budget blow November 21, 2025 UK government borrowing exceeded expectations in October, with benefits and public sector wages intensifying pressures on the public purse ahead of Rachel Reeves’ Budget next Wednesday. The Office for National Statistics showed that public sector net borrowing had reached £17.4bn in the last set of public finances data that government officials will see before Wednesday’s [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Asos shares tumble, retail sales drop, Babcock sinks November 21, 2025 Good morning from the City PM liveblog team. With just days to go before the Budget, there is increasing investor nervousness about what surprises could be in-store for businesses. Few are expecting those surprises to be pleasant. Speaking to the paper yesterday, the boss of the world’s biggest platinum group metals recycler warned Rachel Reeves [...]
