James O'Brien 
BP announced that it will put its UK North Sea business up for sale, following discussions with potential buyer Ithaca Energy, signalling a strategic move to divest its offshore oil and gas assets in the region.
Wintermute reported that institutional investors made up 72% of its spot over‑the‑counter trading volume in H1 2026, indicating that capital is concentrating in fewer tokens and that upcoming altcoin rallies may involve fewer winners.
The UK regulator FCA launched a plan to boost activity on the London Stock Exchange, proposing a unified data feed for stock prices and the publication of market depth information to improve transparency and attract investors.
In a statement, the UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds rejected the idea of the United Kingdom rejoining the EU customs union, aligning with Labour’s 2024 manifesto which he described as ‘absolutely the right one’.
MoonPay’s new PayBox vault lets AI‑driven assistants like ChatGPT and Claude act as interfaces for crypto transactions, allowing users to buy, swap and move digital assets without handing over custody, marking a novel integration of generative AI with crypto payment services in Europe.
Barclays, the British universal bank, posted a strong rise in its six‑month profit and lifted its profit outlook for the full year. Nevertheless, investors reacted negatively and the stock price declined after the announcement.
European stocks traded steady as Unilever’s strong Q2 earnings lifted consumer‑sector shares, helping to counterbalance a broader decline in semiconductor stocks.
Barclays, the British major bank, increased its half‑year profit and consequently lifted its earnings outlook, yet the stock price continued to decline.
Lenders to the distressed cloud tech firm Dye & Durham Ltd. have hired Houlihan Lokey Inc. as financial adviser amid heightened scrutiny of the company’s capital position.
HSBC Holdings Plc will hire over 100 AI specialists in Singapore and establish a global AI centre later this year, reflecting the British bank’s push to invest in technology that is changing financial industry workforces.