Close Brothers: How the motor finance scandal reshaped one of ‘Europe’s least cost-efficient lenders’ January 18, 2026 Nearly two years ago Close Brothers chief executive said the bank would take “decisive actions” to strengthen its financial standing. The bold overhaul of the lender’s capital structure came amid the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review into the motor finance industry – a sector which made up 20 per cent of its £9.5bn loan book [...]
Goldman Sachs leads Wall St boom amid trading frenzy and deal-making January 16, 2026 Wall Street giants were riding high following this week’s round of earnings updates after months market volatility and deal-making helped take trading revenue to record highs. Goldman Sachs led the surge pocketing $4.3bn in equities trading revenue in the last three months of the year – a record for Wall Street banks. Meanwhile, the banks [...]
Bankers and bots: City lenders to face scrutiny on AI ambitions January 15, 2026 Banks have been tipped as a big winner of AI integration but face a major test in selling their tech narrative to investors. As City lenders gear up to report their 2025 financials, shareholders will be looking past balance sheets for progress on digital ambitions. “This may be the year the market makes up its [...]
Jamie Dimon warns markets are under-estimating global risks January 13, 2026 The boss of JP Morgan, Jamie Dimon, has warned global markets not to underestimate current risks, as the US banking giant hiked its provisions for bad loans. The world’s most influential banker said that whilst the US economy had remained “resilient” and consumer and business trends were “generally healthy,” ongoing risks persisted. “Markets seem to under-appreciate [...]
UBS scouting for new top boss with Sergio Ermotti to exit next year January 13, 2026 UBS Group is on the hunt for a new chief executive with the banking giant’s current top boss lined up for an exit next year. Sergio Ermotti, who has led the near-£112bn bank since he was rehired in 2023, is expected to depart in April 2027. The veteran financier had pledged to lead UBS “at [...]
Lloyds shares to offer best cash-back rate in Europe, analysts say January 9, 2026 Lloyds shareholders are set for a bumper few years as analysts predict the bank will continue to splash cash on dividends and buybacks. The bank has been tipped to move to a half-year buyback, in a move that will majorly ramp up the money it hands back to investors. In 2025, Lloyds beat out its [...]
HSBC to cough up £230m over dividend tax-fraud claims January 8, 2026 European banking juggernaut HSBC is set to cough up nearly £230m to settle an investigation relating to tax-fraud claims. The FTSE 100 titan was accused of helping foreign investors evade taxes on dividends through a sophisticated financial manoeuvre known as ‘cum-cum’ trading. This relates to a series of transactions between 2014 and 2019, which were [...]
UK fintech Zilch eyes deals spree on march towards public debut January 7, 2026 Consumer payments giant Zilch is eyeing more deals after snapping up a Lithuanian challenger bank ahead of its long-awaited public debut. The UK fintech has acquired Fjord Bank, helping it to secure a European banking licence and accelerate overseas plans. “We needed a regulatory umbrella that would allow us to go and move really fast [...]
Europe’s second largest neobank joins rush for US banking licence January 7, 2026 Europe’s second biggest digital bank has become the latest fintech aiming to capitalise on President Donald Trump’s deregulation agenda after filing for a US banking licence. Bunq has set its sights on the US after lodging an application for a national charter to operate as a bank with a US Treasury Bureau. The Dutch challenger [...]
Banking and insurance to drive financial M&As after 2025 frenzy January 7, 2026 Deals in the financial services sector are expected to be “robust” in the year to come, following a burst of activity from the banking and insurance sector in 2025. UK banks, insurers and asset managers publicly disclosed 337 deals last year. Whilst this dipped down from the record high of 378 in 2024, the value [...]