Transparency concerns as FCA makes short sellers anonymous October 28, 2025 Firms short-selling UK-quoted companies will no longer have to reveal their identities in the latest deregulation drive by the UK’s financial watchdog. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting on a rule change to suspend disclosures of the companies that hold a short position in listed businesses, instead only publishing the total short positions in [...]
Mining boss: Journey from Aim to main market ‘too difficult’ October 28, 2025 The mining boss behind the London main market’s newest member has said his firm would not have transferred from Aim had he known how complicated the process would be, despite the junior market partly existing to act as a stepping stone to London’s principal exchange. Cobus Loots, the chief executive of South African-based gold miner [...]
City watchdog accused of ‘massive overreach’ in motor finance clampdown October 28, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been accused of a “massive overreach” following letters sent to law firms and claims management companies (CMCs) requesting batches of information under the new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers law. The FCA sent letters in August, seen by City AM, requesting information on the law firms’ motor finance services, [...]
Labour’s payments regulation overhaul more ‘reshuffle than reform’ October 28, 2025 The Labour government’s plan for a payments system revolution has fallen flat, a top trade body has warned, despite the Treasury’s promise of an “ambitious rethink” of regulatory structure. Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled her National Payments Vision (NPV) in her 2024 Mansion House address where she said the plan would include “decisive action to progress [...]
Motor finance: Where do the banks, regulator and Treasury stand? October 24, 2025 The UK banking sector had hoped the Supreme Court’s motor finance ruling would finally switch off the hazard lights and allow lenders to return to business as usual. The industry was handed a lukewarm win by the highest court in the land, who ruled in favour of the banks on two out of three cases. [...]
Lloyds finance boss refuses to rule out motor finance legal challenge October 23, 2025 The finance boss of Lloyds Banking Group has refused to rule out a legal challenge to the financial watchdog’s motor finance redress scheme after the bank’s provision for payouts under the scheme dealt a blow to its bottom line. William Chalmers, the chief financial officer of Lloyds, said the FTSE 100 giant was “concerned” about [...]
Lloyds profit slides 36 per cent after hiking motor finance provisions October 23, 2025 Lloyds Banking Group recorded a major hit to profit in the third quarter after the group was forced to nearly-double its provisions for the motor finance scandal. The bank posted a third-quarter profit before tax of £1.2bn, falling 36 per cent from the £1.8bn recorded in 2024. For the year-to-date the FTSE 100 titan has [...]
Legal sector feeling subdued as regulator loses its AML powers October 23, 2025 The Treasury’s decision to transfer oversight of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing supervision to the FCA has sparked concerns within the professional services sector. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) served as a Professional Body Supervisor (PBS) for AMLCT for law firms across England and Wales, while for the accountancy sector, the HMRC plays the supervision [...]
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 [...]
Lord Mayor calls for ‘attitude shift’ in City October 22, 2025 The UK’s world-leading financial services sector must adopt a more positive attitude that puts innovation and entrepreneurial spirit at its heart, the Lord Mayor will say in a speech in which he is also expected to urge City regulators to redouble their efforts to slash red tape. In what will be some of his last [...]