IOC looks tin-eared at best, cruel at worst over Ukraine helmet saga February 19, 2026 The reputations of the IOC and its president Kirsty Coventry have suffered badly from its handling of the Ukraine helmet row at the Winter Olympics, says Ed Warner. Are you not entertained? The Winter Olympics have delivered stories ranging from the titillating (penile injections, condom shortages and a narcissistic declaration of infidelity) to the enraging [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Centrica profit falls; Stocks dip after record rally February 19, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. It’s been quite the week for the “old and unexciting” FTSE 100. The blue-chip index closed 1.2 per cent higher on Tuesday led by a rally in the mining sector. Antofagasta led the pack up over 10 per cent, which came a day after its [...]
What does the Schroders acquisition mean for Cazenove Capital? February 19, 2026 The City was stunned last Thursday, after one of London’s oldest financial institutions entered a surprise mega deal with an American investment firm. Schroders announced it had agreed a £9.9bn takeover by Nuveen, ending over two centuries of independence for the asset manager. The shock acquisition is set to create one of the world’s largest [...]
Law firms exposed as legal AI giants on poaching mission of tech talents February 19, 2026 The legal world is facing a new kind of talent war, with law firms and tech companies battling to attract the sharpest minds. As legal tech grows, the fight for experienced lawyers is heating up. Think back to a few years ago, when the war for talent dominated the headlines after the US firms in [...]
New EV charges threaten fragile consumer confidence February 19, 2026 The UK government wants Britain to go electric, but carmakers are under strict sales targets, grants have been extended, and billions are being funnelled into infrastructure. But at street level, the case for switching still depends on whether the switch will actually save drivers money. That question has become sharper in recent weeks, with TfL [...]
The Capitalist: Standard Life scrambles to avoid ‘STD’ ticker February 19, 2026 What's in a name? A whole lot of issues for Standard Life's new Stock Exchange ticker; delve into that and more in The Capitalist.
Mark Kleinman: Audit watchdog at risk of becoming empty shell February 19, 2026 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly Morning Wire column Audit watchdog at risk of becoming empty shell Will the last one to leave please turn out the lights? That might seem an exaggerated extrapolation on the retirement of Sir Jan du Plessis, the septuagenarian chairman [...]
Exclusive: Octopus to swerve new private stock exchange February 19, 2026 Octopus Energy will not join the delayed Pisces private stock market when it launches, its boss Greg Jackson has said, in a sign the utilities giant is distancing itself from the project after attending an event for interested companies last summer. Jackson told Morning Wire that his multi-billion-pound firm had “no plans” to trade its [...]
Hirundine whisky: Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe unveil 38-year-old masterpiece February 19, 2026 Two years ago, international rugby stars Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe, stalwarts of the Scotland national team and the British & Irish Lions, stepped into the world of premium spirits with the launch of Against the Grain (ATG) Spirits. Against the Grain champions brands with purpose and craft at their core. The philosophy [...]
Retail jobs at risk from Labour’s employment reforms February 19, 2026 Retailers could cut hours and make redundancies as a result of Labour’s Employment Rights Act, a survey of business leaders has found. Employment costs have shot up the list of concerns cited by retail chief finance officers (CFOs) and finance directors since the start of the act’s implementation, according to a survey by trade body [...]