Finance bosses back AI despite job loss concerns September 2, 2025 The financial services industry is set to drive more investment into AI as the industry’s senior leaders turn bullish on the tech. More than half of UK institutions expect to up their AI investment in the next 12 months while one in five said they would maintain current levels, data shared with City AM revealed. [...]
Natwest and Lloyds shares lead £8bn plunge amid bank tax fears August 29, 2025 Shares in a number of Britain’s biggest banking giants tumbled on Friday as speculation that Rachel Reeves would use the sector for an easy cash grab ramped up. Natwest topped the FTSE 100’s fallers, losing over five per cent. Meanwhile, Lloyds was down nearly four per cent, Barclays just over two per cent, whilst HSBC [...]
Atom chair: Big banks don’t know their role in economic growth August 20, 2025 The chair of digital bank Atom has slammed Britain’s banking giants for failing to drive the country’s economic ambitions. Lee Rochford, who had tenures at Virgin Money, RBS and BNP before Atom, said it was “increasingly unclear what role [top banks] are playing in driving better customer outcomes or supporting UK economic growth”. Chancellor Rachel [...]
FTSE 100 banks outperform but face tougher waters ahead August 4, 2025 The FTSE 100’s banking constituents breezed through the second quarter results season as interest income remained stable and trading income soared on the back of market volatility. The ‘Big Five’ banks of London’s flagship stock index – Barclays, HSBC, Natwest, Lloyds and Standard Chartered – pocketed a combined £12.8bn in the three months to June [...]
Motor finance: Lloyds shares jump after ruling August 4, 2025 Shares in Lloyds Banking Group and Close Brothers jumped in early deals this morning after the Supreme Court’s landmark motor finance ruling last week. Lloyds shares jumped 5.5 per cent in early deals to 80p – a five-year high. Shares in Close Brothers jumped 22 per cent. Analysts at Jefferies had said Lloyds shares would [...]
Motor finance redress scheme to cost up to £18bn, FCA says August 3, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed it will consult on an industry-wide redress scheme following the Supreme Court’s motor finance ruling last Friday. The City watchdog is aiming to publish a consultation by early October, with total costs of the redress expected to be between £9bn and £18bn. The regulator said in June that any [...]
HSBC boss: Rachel Reeves hiking bank tax would dent growth July 30, 2025 The boss of FTSE 100 juggernaut HSBC has become the latest banking voice to warn Rachel Reeves against raising taxes on banks over fears it would harm economic growth. Georges Elhedery, HSBC’s chief executive, said on Wednesday any further financial pressures on lenders could spark trouble for the UK economy. “Additional taxation on banks runs [...]
Revolut banking licence bid goes down to the wire as key deadline looms July 8, 2025 Revolut is facing a fresh regulatory headache in the UK amid mounting expectations it may miss a key deadline in the ongoing process to become a fully operational bank. The digital banking juggernaut received the green light for its UK banking licence from Britain’s banking watchdog last year after a three-year wait, which triggered a 12-month [...]
Financial services brace for more job cuts as clouds gather July 7, 2025 Financial services firms are expecting a rapid increase in jobs losses over the coming months as investment plans and optimism levels sink to fresh lows. The sector’s activity fell at the fastest rate since December 2023 in the three months to June, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). This marked the first time [...]
British banks shed workers at fastest pace since 2018 July 2, 2025 British bankers were on the chopping block in 2024 as UK lenders marked the steepest drop in headcount since 2018 amid an industry-wide digital push. Total employee numbers at British lenders slumped 5.25 per cent to 580,371, falling to the lowest number in a decade. Standard Chartered and HSBC made the biggest culls at 4.5 [...]