WPP slashes jobs as revenue continues to fall Media Embattled advertiser WPP slashed jobs in the first half of the year as its revenue continued to fall. The London-listed media group cut another 1,267 employees in the first half, around 1.3 per cent of its total staffing. Across the 12 months to June, WPP has now slashed its total workforce by 6.4 per cent [...]
‘It’s going to impact work’: Lloyds to cut £2bn in costs with AI Banking The boss of Lloyds Banking Group is preparing to wield the axe on its cost base as the bank doubles down on AI ambitions. Charlie Nunn, the chief executive of the financial services giant, said AI is “going to impact work” and “require us to reskill people and hire new people” as he revealed a [...]
Burnham risks ‘big mistake’ on AI with tech department shake-up Tech Andy Burnham has been warned that breaking up the government department behind Britain’s artificial intelligence strategy could unsettle global investors and damage the country’s standing as a technology hub. The incoming prime minister is reportedly considering abolishing the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and splitting its responsibilities between the Department for Business and [...]
AI minister: UK sets sights on global AI leadership, not Silicon Valley emulation July 15, 2026 AI minister Kanishka Narayan said the UK must build enough domestic AI capability to “shape our own destiny” rather than rely on overseas tech giants as the government accelerates its push to develop sovereign AI infrastructure. Narayan told Morning Wire that AI had become “the defining currency” of geopolitical and economic power, arguing that the [...]
Bank of England to relax capital rules despite warning of economic threats July 7, 2026 The Bank of England set out proposals to relax UK banks’ capital rules even as it sounded the alarm on the growing risk of multiple threats hitting the UK economy. In the latest meeting of the central bank’s Financial Policy Committee top officials said it would work with watchdogs on a package of “broad reforms” [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 rises to defy tech gloom; oil creeps up on fresh Iran tensions July 7, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Donald Trump warned the US will “finish the job” in Iran leaving investors unnerved as he renewed military threats following the funeral of Tehran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil – traded above $72 per barrel on the news, but [...]
Natwest boss becomes latest City figure caught in AI social media scam July 3, 2026 The boss of Natwest has become the latest City figure to be depicted in an AI scam across social media. Paul Thwaite – the chief executive of the FTSE 100 bank – was posted on X alongside journalist Emily Maitlis in a deepfake picture attempting to create a BBC radio interview. The picture was shared [...]
Oracle slashes 21,000 jobs amid AI embrace as tech sell-off rocks Asia June 23, 2026 Software giant Oracle axed around 21,000 roles in the last year as the US tech giant turbocharged its AI adoption plans – even as markets continue to question the rapid acceleration of the tech boom. The computing firm – which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange – said in its annual report the [...]
Computacenter joins FTSE 100 in reshuffle as index builds tech exposure June 4, 2026 The latest quarterly reshuffle of the FTSE 100 has seen Computacenter, Investec and Aberdeen promoted to the top-tier index of the City’s most valuable companies, bringing a constituent with some direct exposure to the artificial intelligence boom to the City’s most famous benchmark. Computacenter’s rise from the FTSE 250 to blue-chip status looks somewhat like [...]
‘It will reduce jobs’ – Jamie Dimon sounds off on AI’s impact on banks May 21, 2026 One of the world’s leading financial figures has warned AI will inevitably lead to a cut in jobs amid growing jitters around the impact the new tech will have on the banking sector. Jamie Dimon – the top boss of America’s largest bank, JP Morgan – said: “I think [AI] will reduce our jobs down [...]