GDP: UK faces ‘most dismal decade for growth in 100 years’ February 12, 2026 The UK economy had a minor expansion in the fourth quarter of 2025 coming a touch below expectations as an expected boost from the services sector failed to come to fruition. Fresh figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the economy expanded a sluggish 0.1 per cent in three months to December 2025. [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Schroders in £10bn deal; UK economic growth lags February 12, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. It was another record day for the FTSE 100 on Wednesday, which secured its highest close of all time. On a strong day for commodity-related stocks in London, London’s blue-chip index closed 1.14 per cent higher at 10,472p. But it wasn’t all cheery in the [...]
Sport’s overreachers like Sussex and Leicester are guilty of hope not greed February 12, 2026 As long as sport’s governing bodies and regulators reward risk over restraint, the cycle of boom, bust, sanction, repeat will continue, writes Ed Warner. First the disclaimer: I live in Sussex and although its county side isn’t my first cricketing love – that “honour” belongs to Middlesex CCC – I’ve enjoyed days at Hove’s County [...]
Reform UK’s rise: Will City law firms shift their support? February 12, 2026 Businesses, including law firms, snuggled up to Labour in 2024 but with Reform UK on the agenda, will firms shift their focus before the next election? Unlike in the US, business lobbying of British political parties and the UK government is kept somewhat behind closed doors, but it remains a powerful tool. For professional services, [...]
Am I going to be replaced by AI? February 12, 2026 With each passing day it seems another sector suffers an AI-induced wobble on the stock market. We saw the large data companies lose billions in value when a new legal-focused AI tool was launched; we saw the owners of consumer and personal finance platforms take a hit as AI agents upped their game; and yesterday [...]
Google’s 100-year bond ‘plays into’ AI bubble fears February 12, 2026 A rare 100-year bond issued by the owner of Google will compound fears that tech firms’ historic debt-fuelled capital expenditure is evidence of an AI bubble. But, this is a shot in the arm for the UK’s stuttering credit market, analyst have said. Alphabet raised £1bn of an astronomical $32bn (£23.4bn) borrowing spree via a [...]
Whisky Business: How to build a whisky hotel in Edinburgh February 12, 2026 Whisky Business: Morning Wire’s monthly look at the world of whisky. In the hyper-competitive landscape of Edinburgh’s five-star hospitality sector, buying 100 bottles of Scotch whisky and calling a hotel a ‘whisky hotel’ no longer cuts it. Investors and guests alike are increasingly seeking a “sense of place” where customers can enjoy a whisky experience. [...]
Greggs deals help Gerald Ronson’s forecourt business post £100m profit February 11, 2026 The petrol forecourt empire owned by City veteran Gerald Ronson has turned a profit just shy of £100m after an expansion in the firm’s partnership with Greggs. GMR Capital, the parent company behind forecourt firm Rontec, posted pre-tax profit of £98.4m for the year to end September 2025, a jump of 6 per cent compared [...]
UK wealth managers endure share price plummet amid AI tool fears February 11, 2026 Shares in some of the UK’s largest wealth managers tumbled on Wednesday, as investors grew concerned about the potential competitive pressure from a new AI-led investment tool. Britain’s biggest wealth group, St James’s Place, suffered a 12.7 per cent drop, trading at 1,265 pence, after US-based wealth management platform Altruist launched a tool to help [...]
PM Starmer asked to back £500m Alexandra Palace darts injection February 11, 2026 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been called upon to contribute to a £500m, one-off private-public cash injection to keep darts at Alexandra Palace. The north London venue first hosted the World Darts Championship in 2007 but a move away from the venue has been touted by tournament organisers Matchroom, with the sport exploding in popularity [...]