Bank bosses brace for interrogation in FTSE 100 lenders’ earnings season January 21, 2026 Britain’s banking heavyweights are gearing up to report full-year earnings with top bosses set to face the crunch on the progress of their overhaul strategies. Lloyds chief Charlie Nunn will be the first of the City’s top bankers to go under the microscope when the FTSE 100 giant releases its annual report on 29 January. [...]
London fintech Guavapay founder quits ahead of Mastercard court battle January 21, 2026 The founder of London fintech Guavapay has resigned as a director as the firm gears up for a court case brought by payments giant Mastercard. Azerbaijani entrepreneur and Russian university graduate Orkhan Nasibov, who launched the company in 2017, has stepped back from his role at the helm of the company due to “fatigue and [...]
Premier League boom ‘masking’ English football’s financial woes, says BDO January 21, 2026 The Premier League’s record revenues and transfer spending are masking deepening financial worries lower down the English football pyramid, according to a new report from BDO. The business advisory firm’s annual survey of finance directors at clubs in the top four divisions found that 90 per cent expected to report pre-tax trading losses for 2025. [...]
David Lammy’s plan to seize law firm interest sparks outrage January 20, 2026 Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy was accused of a “brazen attempt” to “confiscate law firms’ cash” after the government revealed plans to take the interest law firms earn on money sitting in their client accounts. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Justice opened a consultation on a proposal to introduce an Interest on [...]
Elon Musk flirts with Ryanair acquisition and firing Michael O’Leary January 20, 2026 The space-faring entrepreneur Elon Musk is pondering whether to ground his aspirations a little closer to earth, with suggestions on social media that he could acquire Ryanair and eject Michael O’Leary as chief executive. In a post on X, the Tesla and Space X chief asked his followers in a poll whether he should buy [...]
Starmer to face legal action on Chinese embassy approval January 20, 2026 China’s new “mega” embassy near the City will face a legal challenge from campaigners and local residents despite receiving approval from Keir Starmer’s government after months of diplomatic wrangling and protests highlighting security concerns. Residents of the Royal Mint Court site, the location where China is planning to build its embassy, have confirmed they will [...]
Investment trust rejects hedge fund assault ending Saba saga January 20, 2026 Shareholders of a major investment trust have roundly rejected a move by hedge fund tycoon Boaz Weinstein’s Saba to force through a radical shake-up of its leadership and investment philosophy. At a crunch Requisitioned General Meeting, Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust (Ewit) investors representing some 93 per cent of shares – excluding those held by Saba [...]
Dispatch from Davos: This is Trump’s town January 20, 2026 President Trump may be yet to touch down, but his presence can be felt everywhere in Davos, writes Zaki Cooper.
High Court showdown over alleged ‘procedural irrationality’ in Gatwick runway £2.2bn approval January 20, 2026 The Secretary of State has been accused of reaching “inherently contradictory and irrational” conclusions by finding Gatwick’s second runway would have a “significant adverse effect” on the climate, the High Court heard this morning. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, greenlit plans for Gatwick Airport’s second runway, the Northern Runway, in September. This was “the largest [...]
Independent to run London Standard newspaper January 20, 2026 Independent Media is poised to run the digital and commercial operations of the London Standard, little more than a year after the freesheet pared back its print operation to focus on a weekly edition. Staff were informed in a memo circulated on Tuesday that the Lord Evgeny Lebedev-owned Standard was “in the process of negotiating [...]