Challenger banks scout exit routes as giants circle Metro and TSB June 19, 2025 Analysts are pencilling in a fresh wave of banking deals with challenger banks set for a market departure. Moody’s analysts have said challenger banks will “seek exit after weak performance” as industry juggernauts set their sights on ramping up their market share. Takeover talk has gripped the City after reports Shawbrook’s private equity owners were [...]
Investec rakes in £1bn profit after lending and deposit boost May 22, 2025 Investec’s profit soared to more than £1bn in its latest financial year after increased lending and deposits bolstered its revenue. The FTSE 250 bank recorded a 7.8 per cent annual jump in operating profit to just over £1bn for the year to 31 March, 2025. This beat the bank’s own upgraded forecast in March, where [...]
Is HSBC turning its back on Europe? May 20, 2025 When Georges Elhedery took the helm at HSBC, he wasted no time making his mark on the firm. Elhedery plotted a “simpler, more dynamic and agile organisation” in his sweeping restructure first announced in October 2024. One significant change introduced by the new bank chief was splitting the business into “eastern markets” covering the Asia-pacific [...]
One in four Brits cling to bank branches as closures soar May 20, 2025 Brits remain keen for in-person banking even as high-street sites shutter, a fresh report from the Financial Conduct Authority has revealed. One in four current account users still opted to use branch services in the year to May 2024 despite their waning availability. The figure marks a steep drop from 63 per cent in 2017, [...]
Natwest: Government set to sell stake in FTSE 100 giant by June May 16, 2025 The UK government is on track to sell its remaining stake in FTSE 100 lender Natwest as soon as next month after it accelerated the sell-down of its holdings. The Treasury’s share of the FTSE 100 lender is one of British banking’s longest-running sagas, dating back to the 2008 financial crisis. Natwest, then under the [...]
Vanquis shares jump after recovery from complaints storm May 14, 2025 Shares in Vanquis Banking Group rose on Wednesday after the firm said it had swung back into profitability following a major blow from complaints in 2024. The London-listed bank’s stock was up nearly seven per cent as markets opened, trading above 75p. The Bradford-based lender recorded £2bn in net receivables, the total money expected to [...]
HSBC on hunt for new chair as Mark Tucker to retire by year-end May 1, 2025 HSBC chair Mark Tucker will retire by the end of 2025 after an eight-year stint at the lender, the bank has said. Europe’s biggest lender said Tucker would continue as a strategic adviser to Georges Elhedery, the lender’s chief executive, in his retirement. The Board’s Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee said it is already on [...]
Third of 18 to 21-year-olds ‘worry about money every day,’ says Santander April 19, 2025 More than a third (35 per cent) of Gen-Z adults aged 18 to 21 worry about their finances every day, according to research for a major bank. But only a fifth (20 per cent) of young adults said they would be interested in learning about debt management, the survey for Santander UK found. Just over [...]
Monzo warns customers their accounts may not be as secure as possible November 13, 2024 Online challenger bank Monzo has issued a warning to customers that their accounts may not be as secure as possible. The bank has urged customers to upgrade their phone’s operating system by 31 October, 2025, when it will stop sending updates to its app on systems older than iOS 16 and Android 9. Monzo added [...]
Revolut to launch retail wealth app in challenge to Robinhood and Etoro September 24, 2024 Revolut is launching a standalone app based on its wealth management offering as Europe’s most valuable fintech looks to challenge Robinhood and Etoro in the retail investor market. The Revolut Invest app will offer more than 4,000 financial instruments, including from US and European stocks, bonds, commodities and exchange-traded funds, the London-based company said. Equity [...]