rgin Media O2 to pay £343m to Vodafone
Virgin Media O2 will pay £343m to Vodafone for a section of their mobile network spectrum.
That allows Virgin to keep capacity as connectivity demands grow, particularly around London, reports City AM.
Ofcom still have to approve the deal which would give Virgin O2 about 30 per cent of the UK’s total mobile spectrum.
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 14:00
Fuel margins remain high despite lower prices at the pump
Drivers are still being hit with high fuel margins despite lower prices at the pump, the competition watchdog has said.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said retailers’ margins – the difference between what they pay for fuel and what they sell it at – remained high compared to historic levels.
Fuel prices across the UK fell for both petrol and diesel over the three months to the end of May by 7.6 pence per litre (ppl) and 8.4 ppl respectively.
But the CMA found that fuel margins were similar to the high levels seen during its road fuel market study – a review of the market to understand the factors influencing fuel prices undertaken in 2023 – which suggested overall competition in the UK’s road fuel retail market remained “weak”.
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 13:30
European stock markets down, US stocks to rise
And on the continent it’s a similar story.
France’s CAC 40 is flat, currently 0.02 per cent above its starting point having bobbed about on both sides of the line today.
Germany’s DAX is down 0.17 per cent, with the Euronext 100 at the same level and Spain’s IBEX 35 flat.
In futures markets, the S&P 500 in the US is projected to rise 0.47 per cent and the Nasdaq 0.67 per cent when markets open later this afternoon.
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 13:00
Here’s a quick check-in on the FTSE 100 today and Europe’s stock markets, with the UK’s benchmark index now down 0.17 per cent for the day.
- Rolls Royce +1.7 per cent
- Imperial Brands +1.59pc
- Coca Cola HBC +1.22pc
- AutoTrader Group +1.22pc
- The Sage Group +1.20pc
- Intermediate Capital Group -2.78pc
- Experian -2.23pc
- Persimmon -2.15pc
- Barratt Redrow -2.07pc
- Taylor Wimpey -1.80pc
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 12:53
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang sells shares for first time since September
The CEO of Nvidia, the world’s most valuable public company, sold some of his shares last week for the first time since September.
Jensen Huang is believed to own around 93 million shares of the company, and through a pre-arranged trading plan agreed months ago, is eligible to sell up to 6m in this period.
Nvidia shares hit a new all time high last week and are projected to trade at $159 when markets open later today.
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 12:20
Lloyds offer £185 cash for new current account customers
The battle for current account customers has seen a new market-leading cash offer arise, with Lloyds Bank offering £185 to switch to them.
You can also get a higher interest rate savings account and other perks – the full details are here, along how it compares to some other current offers for those seeking a new bank or building society.
Definitely worth a look if your bank doesn’t offer much of use!
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 12:00
Can you really afford car finance? A money editor’s guide
One of the big decisions families or individuals may have to take when it comes to spending money is on how to finance a new car purchase.
While some may be in a position to fully buy outright, it is estimated that over 80 per cent of new car purchases are made using some form of financing – well over two million cars a year, old or new, are bought this way in the UK.
Here’s everything you need to know around what type of car finance agreement might suit your needs.
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 11:41
Tik Tok sale saga set to end in July
In case you missed it over the weekend, President Trump believes TikTok will be bought soon and we can expect details of the group set to purchase it in mid-July.
“We have a buyer for TikTok. I think I’ll need probably China approval and I think President Xi will probably do it,” Mr Trump said.
“I’ll tell you in about two weeks . . . It’s a group of very wealthy people,” he continued, as reported by the FT.
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 11:23
Would Shell and BP creating a £200bn oil behemoth be a good idea for anyone?!
Takeover or merger talk around British oil giants Shell and BP is not new, but has certainly ramped up this year amid diverging fortunes.
Combining the third- and eighth-biggest firms on the London Stock Exchange to create what would be the biggest FTSE 100 firm would generate plenty of interest. And a combined £211bn market capitalisation – total company values by share price – would be a fine look on the face of it.
But there’s a lot more to consider than just a mega-merger’s size and, examining key areas in detail, the question could be asked…would it really benefit many key stakeholders at all right now?
Here’s Karl Matchett’s analysis:
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 10:59
Calls to reform Lifetime ISA over ‘nonsensical’ rules causing savers to lose their own money
MPs have warned that those who invest in a Lifetime ISA (LISA) may get back less money than they put into the scheme.
However, their dual-nature has long been a target of criticism, as well as the complex criteria for using the funds, which has led to many people losing more than they initially save.
Karl Matchett30 June 2025 10:38