Fraud losses hit £629m in H1 2025, driven by new investment scams and record card fraud, as AI enables criminals to commit more sophisticated scams. For the first six months …
Natwest shares jump after cost-cutting boosts profit
Natwest has raised its full-year financial targets after third-quarter profit jumped due to the lender’s cost-cutting regime and an improved retail banking performance. The FTSE 100 giant’s operating profit before …
Welsh rugby should keep Scarlets but scrap Cardiff, Ospreys and Dragons
With a decision expected at the end of the month, I back radical change to Welsh rugby’s regional structure. I wasn’t entirely shocked to read this week that there were …
Scrap stamp duty on shares or risk FTSE 100 exodus, Peel Hunt warns
The government must scrap stamp duty taxed on share trades or risk a growing number of firms quitting London for the New York Stock Exchange, investment bank Peel Hunt has …
FTSE 100 Live: Retail sales, consumer confidence data
Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. As we get closer and closer to the Budget, businesses are becoming more and more vocal on their concerns over what could …
A mansion tax would hit ordinary Londoners and stall the market
A rumoured tax raid on sales of properties over £1.5m would be a disaster for Londoners, says James Evans With the Treasury neither confirming nor ruling out the prospect of …
Motability cuts? Rachel Reeves is taking British taxpayers for a ride
Rachel Reeves pledge to reform the absurd Motability scheme essentially amounts to giving alcoholics Peugeots instead of a BMWs, says Jack Rankin As Rachel Reeves continues to take the scenic …
Motor finance: Where do the banks, regulator and Treasury stand?
The UK banking sector had hoped the Supreme Court’s motor finance ruling would finally switch off the hazard lights and allow lenders to return to business as usual. The industry …
Consumer confidence remains downbeat amid Budget wariness
A small lift in consumer confidence over October has failed to take a leading index into positive territory amid fears that the upcoming Budget could damage personal finances. Labour has …
Can Britain’s AI growth lab speed up innovation without risking safety?
The UK government’s recent unveiling of an AI ‘growth lab’ – a sandbox designed to let companies trial AI under relaxed regulatory conditions – has been hailed as a bold …