Tiktok pledges three-stage age checks as it pilots alcohol sales July 22, 2026 Tiktok will strictly enforce age checks to block under-18s from buying or even viewing alcohol on Tiktok Shop, Morning Wire understands, as it expands into one of retail’s most tightly regulated categories. The social media giant said its ecommerce platform is strictly for adults and that alcohol sales are being piloted only with a small [...]
Wetherspoon shares dive as pub chain warns on profit again July 22, 2026 JD Wetherspoon shares slumped after it issued its fourth profit warning this year, as the pub chain grapples with surging food and energy costs and a rising business rates bill. Tim Martin, founder and chairman of the UK’s best-known pub chain, said: “Profits for the year are likely to be below market expectations, with marginally [...]
What every dealmaker should know about the limits of general-purpose AI tools July 22, 2026 Connecting AI to deal documents is only the first step. The real advantage comes from building intelligence across the deal life cycle. As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates across mergers and acquisitions (M&A), many firms are mistaking connectivity for intelligence. Connecting a large language model (LLM) to a traditional virtual data room (VDR) through model [...]
‘False dawn’: June inflation falls to 2.6 per cent but analysts say rises ahead July 22, 2026 Inflation remained stuck above the Bank of England’s target rate despite government promises to tackle the cost of living. The Office for National Statistics said consumer price index (CPI) inflation was 2.6 per cent in the year to June. Analysts predicted the price growth reading to be 2.7 per cent, lower than the 2.8 per [...]
As it happened: Stocks rise but oil tops $95; inflation eases July 22, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire FTSE 100 liveblog. It’s Wednesday and new Chancellor John Healey secured an early boost after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that inflation slowed in June. Headline CPI inflation dipped from 2.8 per cent in May to 2.6 per cent in June. Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the [...]
Layoffs and an executive exit: What’s going on at London’s first listed law firm? July 22, 2026 Gateley, the City’s first listed law firm, is set to lose its chief executive and axe dozens of jobs as it grapples with a swelling cost base and fears of a slowdown in client spending. The group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM), informed shareholders on Tuesday that chief [...]
‘We are going to run out’: Mitie marks eleventh mega takeover of 2026 July 22, 2026 Mitie’s takeover by rival facilities management group OCS marks the London Stock Exchange’s eleventh £1bn takeover so far this year, as the market continues to serve as a hunting ground for private buyers. OCS agreed to pay 218.5p per share and a final dividend of up to 3.1p. The offer price comes at a 44.7 [...]
Housebuilders urge Rayner to ‘hit the ground running’ and rip up planning red tape July 22, 2026 Housebuilders have called on Angela Rayner to “hit the ground running” and rip up planning red tape after her surprise comeback as housing secretary. Rayner resigned as housing secretary in September over an investigation into her tax affairs but was cleared of wrongdoing in March this year. Leading housebuilding figures told Morning Wire they welcomed [...]
Manchester United accused of banning loyal fans to make space for big-spending tourists July 22, 2026 Manchester United supporters have accused the club of attempting to force out season ticket holders in order to generate more revenue from tourists and corporates. Season ticket holders of several decades started receiving emails – seen by Morning Wire – informing them their accounts had been restricted after the club identified activity “that may indicate” [...]
Prologis pursuit of Segro descends into silver-haired scrap July 22, 2026 Prologis’s attempt to take over Segro has descended into a spat over the age of its chief executives as the US firm looks to convince the FTSE 100 company’s shareholders to accept its offer, Morning Wire can reveal. New York-listed Prologis, the world’s largest listed real estate company, has warned Segro’s investors that 65-year-old boss [...]