Pension ping pong: Now government backtracks on mandation powers April 22, 2026 The government has been forced to water down controversial mandation powers in the Pension Schemes Bill after prolonged uproar from the pensions industry and opposition MPs and peers. Pensions minister Torsten Bell has tried to push through the bill with a clause that gives ministers the power to force funds to invest in UK infrastructure [...]
Economic optimism slumps to lowest level since records began April 22, 2026 Brits’ optimism in the state of the UK economy has fallen to the lowest level since records began in a fresh blow to Rachel Reeves, with the majority expecting the situation to get even worse. That’s according to new data from the latest Ipsos Economic Optimism Index (EOI), published the same day that the rate [...]
Shoe Zone shares plummet as retailer kicks out at budget tax raids April 22, 2026 Shoe Zone shares plummeted after the retailer hit out at Rachel Reeves’ budgets for stifling consumer confidence, saying the chancellor’s policy and the Iran war will kick it into a loss this year. The firm’s share price slumped by more than 32 per cent on Wednesday’s market open, leaving the stock down more than 48 [...]
Admiral CEO attributes FTSE giant’s staff retention to share awards scheme April 22, 2026 FTSE 100 insurance giant CEO Milena Mondini tells senior reporter Maria Ward-Brennan that Admiral’s share awards plan has significantly contributed to staff retention. Admiral Group stands out as one of the UK’s most successful insurance companies, with an internal focus on staff retention and employee happiness. CEO Milena Mondini told City PM, “We wanted people [...]
Hows Trump’s war in Iran is hitting hospitality April 22, 2026 The hospitality sector has already been hammered by taxes, regulation and minimum wage hikes. Now Trump’s war in Iran is hitting everyone’s discretionary spending, says Sacha Lord I’ve written so much about how Hospitality, not just in London, but across the whole of the UK is suffering right now. I’ve been scathing towards the Chancellor, [...]
Inside the fintech industry’s pensions gambit April 22, 2026 The fintech industry are on the offensive and in this week’s column Samuel Norman gives an insight into the sector’s lobbying calls for pension fund allocation. London has found itself brought to a halt this week. One may have thought the Tube strikes would bring Square Mile to a standstill, too. But the lack of [...]
‘Fossil fuel rollercoaster’: Government plans energy price shake-up as Miliband ‘doubles down’ on renewables April 21, 2026 UK households could see their electricity bills fall after the government unveiled measures to end the pricing system’s relationship with volatile gas prices and fossil fuels. Energy secretary Ed Miliband is set to overhaul the system in a major intervention to sever the link between the prices of electricity to gas, which has long been [...]
Energy crisis: Britain could be sitting on a second North Sea April 21, 2026 Onshore shale gas could provide cheap, abundant energy not dependent on Russian oligarchs or subject to the whims and fancies of Donald Trump. But as with so many areas, it’s being held back by of eco-zealotry, Nimbyism and an inability to simply get things done, says Emma Revell That Britain needs to solve its energy [...]
Job vacancies fall to lowest level in five years April 21, 2026 The UK jobs market took a turn for the worst as job vacancies fell to their lowest level in nearly five years, according to official figures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of vacancies fell by an estimate of 29,000 in the three months to March. It is the lowest level of [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks flat as Trump’s deadline looms; Job vacancies shrink; Primark gets spin-off April 21, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City PM liveblog. New unemployment figures this morning have showed an unexpected twist where the joblessness rate slipped under the five per cent mark. But this was accompanied by a blow to the market with the number of vacancies fell by an estimate of 29,000 in the three [...]
