Eon, Hometree strike deals to snap up parts of Ovo Energy May 11, 2026 Two arms of Ovo Energy have been snapped up by separate buyers, ending uncertainty over the retail energy giant’s future. German energy firm Eon is to acquire Ovo’s retail business, creating one of the UK’s biggest energy operators with around 10m combined customers, while Ovo’s Home Services arm, including Corgi Homeplan and Homepeat, is to [...]
Compass shares jump as it shrugs off inflation concerns with profit upgrade May 11, 2026 Shares in Compass Group jumped on Monday morning as shrugged off concerns over inflation eating into its margins after upgrading its profit forecasts. The FTSE 100 catering giant, which has served meals everywhere from prisons to oil rigs, upped its profit growth estimate from 10 per cent to “above” 11 per cent for the year [...]
Heathrow passenger volumes drop as jet fuel crisis rocks market May 11, 2026 Fewer passengers were heading to Heathrow Airport in April as the war in the Middle East keeps travellers grounded. Passenger numbers at Europe’s biggest airport fell by five per cent in April to 6.7m with the blame being attributed to the “ongoing impact of the Middle East conflict”. For those heading to that particular region, [...]
As it happened – Starmer fights for premiership in make-or-break speech May 11, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Sir Keir Starmer will deliver a speech to the nation this morning as rivals circle whilst his premiership hangs in the balance. The Prime Minister is expected to set out his response to the disastrous local elections, where Labour lost 1,496 seats. The losses came as Nigel Farage’s [...]
London to be hit hardest as jobs market struggles through 2026 May 11, 2026 The jobs market is set to worsen throughout the year, with UK employment forecast to suffer a net loss of 163,000 jobs. That’s according to research from the ITEM Club, which has found that London is set to bear the largest absolute decline, shedding an estimated 25,000 positions as its retail and hospitality sectors slow. [...]
Gordon Brown returns to government as Starmer shrugs off resignation calls May 9, 2026 Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has returned to government in a new role as Sir Keir Starmer has scrambled to save his premiership amid discontent among Labour MPs. Brown will serve as the government’s special envoy for global finance. He will likely be tasked with sorting finance for defence ahead of the publication of the [...]
FCA struggles with rising whistleblower caseload May 8, 2026 The City has seen a jump in whistleblowing alongside a slowdown in the number of cases being closed in signs the UK’s financial watchdog is struggling to handle the caseload. The volume of whistleblowing reports rose by nearly 30 per cent in the UK in the first three months of the year to hit a [...]
UK borrowing costs waver as Starmer insists he will not ‘walk away’ May 8, 2026 Government borrowing costs – which are reflected in changes in gilt yields – have edged lower as City traders were calmed by Sir Keir Starmer’s insistence that he would not “walk away”. Gilts were the best performing government bonds out of any G7 nation on Friday morning as 10-year yields dropped by around eight basis [...]
‘Lacking motivation’ – UK employers worry about graduates’ attitude May 8, 2026 Over half of employers are concerned over the professional conduct of graduate hires, according to new research. As many as 52 per cent of companies said they had increased time spent undertaking professional conduct training and supporting employees in the shift from education to employment, according to the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) The Institute, [...]
Paddy Power owner’s London exit fears mount as shares slide May 8, 2026 Flutter Entertainment is facing fresh scrutiny after analysts warned the gambling giant’s battered share price is effectively “pricing in zero US growth”, as fears mount over a potential full London Stock Exchange exit. The Paddy Power and FanDuel owner has come under renewed pressure after cutting guidance despite posting stronger quarterly revenues, with investors increasingly [...]