Business As Usual | City AM

Send us Fan Mail Hugo Boss has urged its investors to reject the “inadequate” £1.7bn takeover tabled by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group after the retail giant behind Sports Direct and House of Fraser launched a move to take control last month. City Editor Simon Hunt reports.  Meanwhile the government weighs potential restrictions on the use of VPNS - is this safeguarding of children or an infringement...

Send us Fan Mail Markets are reeling after Donald Trump called an end to the fragile ceasefire with Iran. Senior City Reporter, Sam Norman explains the consequences for the UK.  Meanwhile the media watchdog slams Virgin Media O2 for making it too hard for customers to leave their contracts, issuing one of the biggest consumer fines in OFCOM's history.  Plus: can a professional restaurant crit...

Send us Fan Mail The latest Lloyds House Price Index indicates UK house prices have risen for the first time in weeks - but what does it mean for homeowners in London?  Meanwhile M&S has updated shareholders and faced a backlash for its newer, shorter skirts. Retail Reporter, Felix Armstrong, has the details.  Plus: Wimbledon slaps down accusations of pricing normal people out of the game, as...

Send us Fan Mail City editor Simon Hunt tackles the big corporate stories: Sky is buying ITV’s broadcasting arm for £1.6bn; Ocado's chief executive will step down after a long boardroom battle, Nigel Farage backed crypto venture loses more than a third of its value.  Meanwhile, less than two weeks from Andy Burnham (almost certainly) taking the keys to Number 10, how is the Square Mile feelin...

Send us Fan Mail Our investment reporter, Maisie Grice speaks to the UK boss of the world’s largest brokerage firm.  Richard Flynn is the UK Managing director of Charles Schwab which has over $12 trillion under management.  He came in to chat about the markets in the first six months of 2026, that SpaceX mega IPO, and where those hidden investment opportunities might lie for the second half of the...

Send us Fan Mail The financial conduct authority has suspended parts of its £9bn motor finance ruling after a venomous response from industry and consumer groups. Senior City Reporter Sam Norman has the story.  Meanwhile, Politics and Economics Reporter Mauricio Alencar speaks to Margaret Thatcher's former private secretary about Andy Burnham's plans to build a 'Number 10 North&apos...

Send us Fan Mail The chief executive of Brewdog has resigned after just a year, and so far, it doesn’t look clear if he’ll be replaced at all. Simon Hunt has the details.  Meanwhile, Andy Burnham has pledged the biggest social housebuilding drive in a generation - Deputy Editor, Charlie Conchie pulls back the curtain on the business of council housing.  Plus: Senior City Reporter, Sam Norman expla...

Send us Fan Mail A firm run by Italian aristocrats planning to mine uranium in northern Italy, has drawn up plans for a London float as it seeks to capitalise on renewed interest in nuclear technology. City Editor, Simon Hunt explains why.  Meanwhile we're six months into the year - would investing in the FTSE 100 in January have paid off? Michael Hunter has the figures.  Plus: Barclays signs...

Send us Fan Mail The head of Google in the UK, Kate Alessi has told City AM she was disappointed by the government’s decision to include YouTube in the under-16s social media ban and praised Labour’s AI policies so far this parliament. The remarks come as Google today releases a new in-depth report into the impact of AI on the UK economy, and how the US tech giant is empowering businesses of all s...

Send us Fan Mail The Treasury is drawing up plans to automatically withhold income tax from the State Pension before it is paid out to pensioners, according to City Editor, Simon Hunt, in a move that would contradict previous assurances by Chancellor Rachel Reeves that she would not “go after” elderly Brits with fresh tax demands. Meanwhile Facebook's parent company Meta is planning an altern...

Send us Fan Mail City Editor Simon Hunt reports on a fierce battle between the founder of a tech firm and its board after one of the directors was voted out by shareholders. Meanwhile British property firm Segro fights off £12.6bn swoop by US real estate giant.  Plus: historian and author Sir Anthony Seldon speaks to City AM's Politics and Economics Reporter Mauricio Alencar about where it al...

Send us Fan Mail Gatwick Airport has moved a step closer to breaking ground on its eagerly anticipated expansion after a court dismissed a pair of legal challenges brought by local campaigners - City Editor Simon Hunt touches down in the studio.  Meanwhile StubHub, the ticket reseller, has been ordered to refund over 50,000 customers and pay a £900,000 fine for hidden fees.  Plus: 10 years on from...

Send us Fan Mail Sir Keir Starmer has announced his resignation as Prime Minister, with Andy Burnham set to be installed as Labour leader within weeks.  Joining us to make sense of the politics is our Editor-in-Chief Christian May.  Meanwhile, what does the change in regime means for the economy and the markets? Simon Hunt tells us the City's pick for Chancellor. Plus: could football-crazy An...

Send us Fan Mail A major hike in fuel prices boosts sales at Tesco, which is bracing for higher inflation in the weeks ahead.  With all eyes on the World Cup, new reports suggest the Sumo could return to London. Could this be the next big sporting phenomenon?  Plus: Kaleb Cooper from Clarkson’s Farm tells City AM that the government needs to keep farmers on side, and that the public doesn’t really...

Send us Fan Mail Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has promised to slash post-2008 red tape imposed on the banking industry should she be elected prime minister; our Senior City Reporter, Sam Norman has the story.  Meanwhile the CEO of Lush finds himself in court, and Retail Reporter, Felix Armstrong talks food inflation.  Plus: meet the former co-worker of Gary Stevenson, Kent Bray, who speaks candidly a...

Send us Fan Mail Shares in wealth manager Rathbones tumbled on Tuesday as it was set to lose out on hundreds of millions of pounds after it suspended contributions from thousands of customers following an investigation into its business; City Editor, Simon Hunt has the story.  Meanwhile Revolut has faced off against a sleep-starved customer who complained about the app sending him too many notific...

Send us Fan Mail Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group, which owns Sports Direct, Flannels, Jack Wills and Evans Cycles, has launched a €2bn bid for German luxury brand Hugo Boss - Simon Hunt reports.  Meanwhile VPN searches among young people have surged 165% after the government announced a ban on social media for under-16s. Tech reporter, Saskia Koopman explains why some critics have called the ban unwor...

Send us Fan Mail John Healey resigned as defence secretary on Thursday after months of tension with Sir Keir Starmer over funding for an uplift in spending on the armed forces. Politics and Economics Reporter, Mauricio Alencar, breaks down the figures.  Meanwhile, Andy Burnham  suggested he would support more than 3.5m women who are seeking compensation, hinting at a billions of pounds spending co...

Send us Fan Mail Thames Water eyes a return to the publicly traded markets in the hopes to avoid being nationalised. Michael Hunter explains how that would work.  Meanwhile Anthropic officially released Claude Fable 5 on Wednesday, allowing the public to access the core architecture of its notorious ‘Mythos’ model for the first time – a technology previously deemed to dangerous for distribution. P...

Send us Fan Mail Pharma giant GSK has sealed a $10bn deal to snap up Boston-based biopharmaceutical company Nuvalent, in a bid to diversify its portfolio of patents. Meanwhile, AI firm Palantir is to take Sadiq Khan to court over the cancellation of a police contract - City Editor, Simon Hunt, has the details.  Plus: could the football World Cup be the thing to save the struggling pub industry?  R...

Send us Fan Mail Could tech stock jitters in Asia, which saw shares crash 8% on Monday, spread to the wider market? Simon Hunt gives his take on whether it's time to sell.  Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton has gone viral for calling for an end to billionaires. Is a man rumoured to be worth $400-500m the best spokesperson to advocate for a wealth tax? Christian May joins to discuss.  Plus: Made In Ch...

Send us Fan Mail Europe's second largest digital bank, Bunq, which might not yet be a household name on our shores is angling for a UK banking licence as it aims to take on Revolut. Sam Norman has the story.  Meanwhile former Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt joined the podcast to discuss the future of the pensions triple lock.  Plus: Sir Martin Sorrell who spent 33 years turning WPP from a small Kent-...

Send us Fan Mail Pawn broker Ramsdens has seen an uptick in revenue as more people consider selling the family gold in order to keep pace with the cost of living. Michael Hunter has the story.  Meanwhile, Climate minister, Katie White becomes the first member of the government to come on Business As Usual, to discuss the cost of net zero.  Plus: City AM has compiled a list of the most powerful fig...

Send us Fan Mail Barclays' chief executive makes damning remarks about the state of UK plc, saying Britain could lose its reputation for political stability. Simon Hunt reports. Meanwhile the outdoor brand Patagonia is taking drag queen Pattie Gonia to court for damages of one dollar. Plus: the Pele shirt set to go for millions at auction.  Remember to download the City AM app: https://tr.ee/...

Send us Fan Mail The London fintech Wise has seen its shares plummet as it was revealed the fintech faces an investigation over allegations its accounts have been used for criminal activity. Meanwhile the treasury want to impose even further costs on the struggling hospitality sector, as they bring in new criteria to assess how much pubs will pay in business rates.  Plus: tube workers are set to g...