Banking watchdog boss warns easing capital rules ‘highly risky’ October 22, 2025 The head of the UK’s banking watchdog has warned of high risk if the UK loosens its rules around lenders’ capital framework as the government pushes for economic growth. Sam Woods, the head of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), said requiring banks to no longer set aside capital for top-tier sovereign bonds would “be equivalent [...]
Barclays near-quadruples provisions for motor finance scandal October 22, 2025 Barclays has followed suit with its banking peers with a major hike to its motor finance provisions after the financial watchdog launched its industry redress scheme. The FTSE 100 titan set aside an extra £235m for the car mis-selling scandal, taking total provisions to £325m. Barclays operated in the motor finance market under Clydesdale Financial [...]
Barclays shares rise after new buyback launch and jump in income October 22, 2025 Barclays has set out plans to shift to a quarterly share buyback after the firm recorded a surge in total income for the third quarter. The FTSE 100 titan netted £7.2bn in total income, breezing past as internal analyst consensus of £7bn. The figure was also up nine per cent year-on-year. The bank said it [...]
Allica Bank makes major acquisition as it eyes £1bn SME lending goal October 22, 2025 Allica Bank is set to announce a fresh acquisition as the firm looks to beef up its lending capacity for small businesses, City AM can reveal. The digital bank has snapped up London-based fintech Kriya, which specialises in embedded finance and business loans. The takeover, set to be announced on Wednesday, marks Allica’s third acquisition [...]
Analysts dampen outlook for FTSE 100 banks as tax clouds gather October 21, 2025 The UK’s top banks are gearing up for a third-quarter reporting season where all eyes will be on the Labour government’s second Autumn Budget. Speculation of a bank tax hike has dominated chatter around the sector in recent months and elevated fears across the City. It also comes alongside flaring tensions between the lending industry [...]
HSBC shares jump after naming top Natwest boss as new UK chief October 21, 2025 European banking juggernaut HSBC enjoyed a bump in its share price as markets opened on Monday after the bank named its new UK boss. David Lindberg, who most recently led retail banking operations at Natwest, will join the FTSE 100 titan to take the helm at its UK bank. Shares jumped near two per cent [...]
Fintech industry takes aim at ‘logic-defying’ banking watchdog October 20, 2025 The industry body for UK fintech will today take aim at the banking watchdog in a scathing report that will blast “logic-defying” regulation. A fresh report from Innovate Finance, seen by City AM, will accuse the Prudential Regulation Authority’s (PRA) of “excessive” requirements that create an “uneven playing field for UK challenger banks, placing heavy [...]
FTSE suffers worst day since April amid credit market jitters October 17, 2025 The FTSE 100 suffered its worst session since April on Friday, after a sell-off in US regional banks caused jitters to sweep through global equities markets. Banks led losses on the UK’s blue-chip index as a risk-off mood prevailed across the world, with bond yields falling and the price of gold hitting yet another all-time [...]
Hyperlayer lands £30m to help legacy lenders take on fintechs October 15, 2025 London-based fintech Hyperlayer has secured £30m in fresh funding to support its mission to help established banks compete with digital first rivals. The firm’s tech is designed to work alongside existing banking infrastructure, which it says allows the legacy businesses to launch new products without complexity. Ex-Morgan Stanley International chief Rob Rooney, who found Hyperlayer [...]
UK banks tax rate rises as fears of a budget raid spike October 15, 2025 The tax rate on the UK banking sector rose in the last financial year as the industry braces for a potential hike to its financial burden in the Autumn Budget. A fresh study from banking industry body UK Finance and PwC revealed London lender’s total tax rate rose 0.6 per cent to 46.4 per cent [...]