French borrowing costs surge as political crisis deepens October 6, 2025 French assets suffered at the hands of a brutal sell-off on Monday, after the country’s latest prime minister resigned just a month into the role, exacerbating an already grave political crisis. French stocks tumbled across the board while government borrowing costs climbed sharply to their highest since 2011, after newly appointed prime minister Sebastien Lecornu [...]
US government shutdown to delay crucial economic data October 2, 2025 The United States government shutdown has caused federal statistics agencies to stop producing economic reports, sparking fears Federal Reserve officials will be deprived of crucial data in the run-up to one of the most eagerly anticipated interest rate decisions in recent history. Funding for America’s federal services and government departments was halted on Wednesday, causing [...]
Thames Water: Creditors set out rescue plan with £20.5bn investment September 3, 2025 A consortium of Thames Water creditors have laid out plans for how a £20.5bn investment would “fix the foundations” of the UK’s biggest water supplier. The group of 15 investors, known as the London & Valley Water consortium, are set to focus on improving the firm’s record on pollution and sewage leaks – with an [...]
How the banking net zero fantasy ran out of gas August 20, 2025 Over the past year, the world’s biggest banks‘ net zero enthusiasm has quickly and quietly dried up. Top lenders have backtracked, diluted or outright abandoned their environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies. The return of President Donald Trump has been highlighted as a turning point for green finance with firms across the financial industry turning sour [...]
Calm heads make a welcome return to ESG debate July 2, 2025 In May 2022, HSBC’s head of responsible investing, Stuart Kirk, took to the stage at a City conference and did something extraordinary; he criticised the financial services industry’s obsession with climate change. With a degree of candour that would ultimately cost him his job, Kirk said “I feel like it’s getting a little bit out [...]
Fund managers made ‘ridiculously extravagant claims’ on ESG, Aberdeen boss says July 1, 2025 Fund managers have made a “huge mistake” with their “ridiculously extravagant claims” on ESG investing, the boss of asset management giant Aberdeen has said amid a global retreat from ethical funds. Sir Douglas Flint told the City Week conference that investors had adopted a mindset of “we’re not really about investing money, we’re just jolly [...]
Thames Water lenders offer £17bn plan, push Ofwat for ‘regulatory reset’ June 10, 2025 A group of Thames Water’s major creditors have put forward a sweeping, multibillion-pound rescue deal, while calling for forgiveness of historic fines from Ofwat. Major investment firms, including Aberdeen and Elliott Management, are among the investors, who have said they have “the funding and experience required to deliver a transformation of the company’s performance which is intended [...]
Why are Brits hoarding cash? May 15, 2025 Like Tolkein’s Gollum, Brits like to hoard their assets, opting for the security of cash over equity based investments. Barclays estimates that £430bn in investable funds—cash exceeding six months’ salary—are held in bank accounts rather than funnelled into the stock market. This begs the question: why are British investors so devoted to an asset which [...]
Labour’s regional growth plan sees 12,000 civil servants moved outside London May 14, 2025 The government is on a mission to relocate 12,000 civil servant jobs across the UK to save taxpayers money — to the tune of £94m a year by 2032. Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden told the BBC this morning he hopes relocating civil servants “will make this government one that better reflects the country it [...]
Interactive Investor creates hundreds of jobs as trading booms May 14, 2025 Interactive Investor created almost 200 jobs as its profit increased to almost £90m last year, it has been revealed. The Manchester-headquartered company has posted a pre-tax profit of £89.7m for 2024, up from the £84.2m it achieved in 2023. New accounts filed with Companies House also show that its headcount rose from 726 to 919 [...]