Chief executives blame sleepless nights on their own senior team April 1, 2026 An angry board, a languid share price, mutiny in the junior ranks. All things you would expect the fiduciary-responsibility-bound chief executives of major listed companies to worry about. But new research suggests bosses at the helm of the world’s largest firms have a more immediate source of sleepless nights: their own leadership team. According to [...]
FTSE 100 suffers worst month since Covid as Iran war rages on April 1, 2026 The FTSE 100 suffered its worst month since the coronavirus in March, after the United States’ war in the Middle East sparked a historic market reaction that has seen government borrowing costs sprial and oil prices subjected to their largest single-month jump on record. Despite a relief rally on Tuesday, London’s blue-chip index fell more [...]
Andy Haldane: My mission to ignite Britain’s animal spirits March 31, 2026 As the Bank of England’s chief economist, Andy Haldane had a front row seat to the maladies of UK’s sluggish economy. After a four-year stint running the RSA, he is back as president of the British Chambers of Commerce, and tells Ali Lyon business is still taxed mindlessly, over regulated, and far too risk averse. [...]
Unilever freezes hiring as Iran war poses ‘significant challenges’ March 31, 2026 FTSE 100 giant Unilever has placed a global freeze on hiring for at least three months as the Iran war wreaks havoc on global supply chains and fuel prices. The London-based business, which owns Dove soap and Hellman’s mayonnaise, told staff the ban on hiring will affect “all levels” of recruitment and was taken in [...]
Princes Group signals price hikes as Middle East conflict piles pressure on costs March 31, 2026 Tinned tuna giant Princes has signalled a potential hike in prices, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to pile pressure on business costs. The Liverpool-based owner of Branston and Flora, noted that it could raise prices where needed to offset cost pressures from rising fuel, transport and plastic packaging costs caused by the [...]
Rolls-Royce: FTSE 100 giant’s shares tumble amid market storm March 27, 2026 Shares in City heavyweight Rolls-Royce sank on Friday morning as the firm got wrapped up in the market storm triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The FTSE 100 giant’s stock slumped nearly three per cent in mid-morning trading, sending its price crashing to 2026 low of 1,116.77p. Over the last month, the [...]
London and New York in tight race to be world’s top financial hub March 26, 2026 London and New York are locked in a tight-race in the fight to become the world’s most dominant financial hub. The latest Global Financial Centre’s Index from Z/Yen showed both cities retained their respective spots in new rankings, with each of their scores inching up by a singular point. New York topped the list at [...]
Next: Iran war costs retailer £15m and could push up prices March 26, 2026 High street giant Next has said it will take a £15m hit from the soaring air freight and fuel prices caused by the Iran war, as it races to make savings elsewhere to offset the costs. The FTSE 100 firm said it expects the conflict to constrain its growth in the Middle East, which accounts [...]
FTSE 100 Live: OECD slashes UK growth prospects as inflation set to jump March 26, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City PM liveblog. The White House’s Press Secretary has said the US is “very close” to meeting its objectives in the Iran war, though offered no specific timeline on when the conflict could come to a close. But Iran’s foreign minister has said the country has “no intention [...]
‘Mortgage mayhem’: Banks’ rates soar past 5.5 per cent amid Iran war volatility March 25, 2026 The UK mortgage market has been flipped upside down with Brits facing higher prices to borrow in the short-term as the Iran war rattles the economy. The average five-year fixed deal for a homeowner has spiked to 5.54 per cent this morning, up from 4.95 per cent at the start of March, according to financial [...]
