Is the motor finance scandal making City banks trim the fat? March 18, 2026 The motor finance scandal is reshaping the banking sector, in this week’s column Samuel Norman takes a look at how lenders are responding. In the fallout of the multi-billion pound motor finance scandal, bank bosses are getting their house in order. The landmark saga, which began with the UK’s financial watchdog’s review into the market [...]
Close Brothers to axe fifth of jobs after motor finance ‘wipeout’ warning March 17, 2026 Close Brothers has warned it will cull as much as a fifth of its headcount as the bank continued its aggressive cost-cutting strategy following mounting losses linked to the motor finance scandal. The FTSE 250 bank said it would axe a staggering 600 full-time roles by the end of the 2027 financial, which represents around [...]
Close Brothers shares sink as infamous short-seller warns of motor finance ‘wipeout’ March 16, 2026 Shares in Close Brothers plummeted on Monday after a group notorious for short-selling warned the bank had “systematically misrepresented” its exposure to the motor finance scandal. The FTSE 250 bank nosedived as much as 12 per cent during afternoon trading after Viceroy Research, a group famed for its exposés of Wirecard and Home Reit, warned [...]
Businesses ‘yearning for stability’ says UK bank chief March 13, 2026 Businesses are “yearning” for stability, according to a top banking chief executive, as the turmoil in the Middle East threatens to upend the global economy. Ian Corfield, the boss of London-listed Secure Trust Bank, told City AM: “I think the reality is that even before things kicked off a month ago, obviously nerves were increasing. [...]
Revolut to IPO above $100bn, says former licence boss March 13, 2026 The man who steered Revolut’s pursuit of banking licences in its early stages has said he expects the fintech giant to make its public debut with a price tag north of $100bn. In an exclusive video interview with City AM, Will Mahon-Heap, the former head of international and authorisations at Revolut, said: “I think it [...]
Revolut’s triumph reminds us what British tech sector is capable of March 12, 2026 There hasn’t been much good news around lately – between the UK’s miserable growth trajectory, war in the Middle East and the whiff of decay in Downing Street, it’s been hard to find the optimism. But when something genuinely impressive happens in British business, it’s worth pausing to take notice. And this week we had [...]
Revolut is now a bank. Raise a glass to this stellar British success story March 11, 2026 It has been a painfully long wait for Revolut. But at last, the patience of Europe’s most valuable fintech has paid off. Its British banking licence has arrived. This is the final step in Revolut’s decade-long journey to become a fully-fledged bank. That means it is no longer – by any yardstick – a startup. [...]
Standard Chartered evacuates Dubai offices amid Iran war March 11, 2026 London-headquartered Standard Chartered has begun to evacuate staff from its offices in Dubai following the latest escalations in the war in the Middle East. The FTSE 100 giant boasts a large presence in the region as part of international expansion efforts across the United Arab Emirates but has now found itself caught in the growing [...]
Revolut lands full UK banking licence after four-year wait March 11, 2026 Revolut has landed its full UK banking licence following a four-year wait for the permit. The $75bn fintech juggernaut has been in the mobilisation stage for over 18 months after being granted approval for the licence last July. The final green light from the banking watchdog hands the digital bank permission to formally start lending [...]
JP Morgan marks down private credit loans amid AI jitters March 11, 2026 JP Morgan has marked down the value of specific loans held by private-credit groups, tightening its grip on the sector as boss Jamie Dimon warns of a looming AI reckoning. The bank’s move specifically targets software companies, which it now views as highly vulnerable to being replaced by artificial intelligence. By devaluing these assets, JP [...]