Gold rallies to near-two month high as Middle East conflict intensifies June 13, 2025 Investors were flocking to gold on Friday after Israel’s attack on Iran sparked a demand for the safe haven asset. The rush sent gold prices up one per cent to their highest level in nearly two months at $3,441.90 The bullion pulled on track for a weekly gain as the Middle Eastern conflict ramped up. [...]
Gold tops euro to become central banks’ second favourite reserve asset June 11, 2025 Central banks now hold more gold than euros in the face of global trade tensions and volatile markets, according to a report produced by the European Central Bank (ECB), making it the world’s second largest reserve asset after the US dollar. Purchases of gold were twice as high in 2024 as the average seen over [...]
Private equity giant KKR returns with final bid for Assura June 11, 2025 UK healthcare property firm Assura has received its “best and final offer” from KKR, which is set to trigger another delisting blow for the London Stock Exchange. Assura has recommended a cash offer from Sana Bidco, a vehicle owned by KKR and Stonepeak, which values the firm at 52.1p per share. Shares in Assura closed [...]
Londoners most at risk of online fraud, report reveals June 10, 2025 Londoners are at significant risk of digital and financial exclusion after new data revealed one in four people in the UK capital lack confidence in money management. According to research from WPI Economics and Virgin Money, Londoners are twice as likely to experience both digital and financial exclusion than those living in the South East. [...]
UK dominates European investment appeal despite drop in activity June 9, 2025 The UK has continued to storm ahead of its European rivals as the region’s most attractive destination for financial services investment, despite a sharp drop in activity. The UK recorded 73 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2024, a steep 32 per cent drop from 108 the previous year, according to EY’s latest Attractiveness Survey for [...]
Average earners dragged into IHT net – how can you reduce your taxes? June 5, 2025 New rules to include pensions in estates for Inheritance Tax purposes could see average earners dragged into the IHT net. How can you protect your assets? Inheritance tax receipts rose over £8bn in the 2025 to 2025 financial year, an increase of £0.8bn from the year before. That was due to a combination of rising [...]
Rachel Reeves to shake up pensions to boost UK investment June 5, 2025 The government is set to shake up UK pensions today, with Rachel Reeves planning several government-backed megafunds to boost pension wealth and investment. In the most significant reform to the pensions system since 2021, the bill will focus on six areas – from giving the government a “reserve” power to force pension schemes to invest [...]
UK finance salaries drop as workers ‘actively develop’ tech skills June 4, 2025 UK finance salaries dropped by three per cent in 2025, new data has found, prompting more workers to look for new jobs and develop more tech skills to prop up their pay. Average pay in one of the UK’s richest sectors is now around £102,300, lower than the USA but still higher than Germany and [...]
Ramsdens strikes gold after price jump boosts profit to record high June 4, 2025 Pawnbroker Ramsdens enjoyed a bumper six months as its profit soared on the back of record high gold prices. Ramsdens’ pre-tax profit jumped 54 per cent to an all-time high of £6.1m. This was up from £4m in the first half of 2024. The firm said its purchase of precious metals segment performed “very strongly” [...]
Business investment could be revived in ‘promising’ sign, BCC says June 4, 2025 Business investment could soar as high as 4.8 per cent this year, a leading commercial group has predicted, bulldozing through its previous expectations of a paltry 0.6 per cent rise. Little cash has been put into making firms more effective in recent years, which has in turn stalled growth and hampered the UK’s ability to [...]