Going for growth is a game of risk that ministers must embrace January 21, 2025 In the words of the Lord Mayor of London, “the only way you get growth is via risk.” Alastair King made this observation early in November last year, before it was fashionable. These days, it seems everyone’s discovering their appetite for risk. The notion that professional regulators could magic up some pro-growth policies has attracted [...]
FCA chair: Our growth push will test UK’s risk appetite January 20, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) push to slash red tape and unleash growth in the City will test the UK’s appetite for risk, its chair has warned, accepting that two of its new proposals could open the door to more fraud and mortgage defaults. Writing in City AM today, Ashley Alder said the FCA will [...]
FCA looks to ease consumer duty burden as Reeves pushes regulators for growth January 17, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will look to ease the burden of complying with its stringent consumer duty rules as part of a push to cut red tape in the City and unlock growth. In a letter to the Chancellor Rachel Reeves this week, FCA boss Nikhil Rathi said the regulator would drop a requirement [...]
Is the UK government right to put consumer duty on the chopping block? January 16, 2025 This morning, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds made one of this government’s targets for deregulation clear: consumer duty. “On regulation, I talk to business people every day, as you would expect, and this is the biggest thing that they raise,” said the minister on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, while being interviewed by former shadow chancellor, Ed [...]
Cum-ex: FCA fines broker over trading violations January 10, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has fined broker Arian Financial £288,962 over cum-ex trading violations, after it failed to ensure it had effective systems and controls against financial crime. Cum-ex trading, also known as dividend stripping, is a method of tax avoidance that allows firms to distribute profit as capital gains rather than dividends, allowing [...]
UK’s top court puts final nail in FCA case against former Julius Baer staff January 6, 2025 The Supreme Court has refused to hear a FCA appeal which brings an end to its unsuccessful case against three former employees of the Julius Baer Group
Starmer demands ‘concrete proposals’ on growth from regulators December 28, 2024 The Prime Minister has called on Britain’s regulators to do more to prioritise growth as he seeks to improve living standards by 2029. In letters sent last week, Sir Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said they wanted to see “concrete proposals” from regulators setting out how they could “go further” [...]
FCA extends motor finance complaint deadline December 19, 2024 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has extended the time that companies have to respond to motor finance complaints following a landmark high court ruling. In an announcement today, the City watchdog said firms will have until 4 December 2025 to provide a final response to customer complaints over the use of non-discretionary commission arrangements (non-DCAs). [...]
FCA sets out plans for new Pisces private stock market December 17, 2024 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set out its plans for a new private stock market system today as it looks to revive London’s flagging IPO pipeline and allow investors to more easily tap into unlisted companies. In a consultation document, the City watchdog said the new stock market system, PISCES, first tabled by the [...]
Payments regulator in Treasury crosshairs as firms revolt December 16, 2024 As the government hunts for ways to make Britain more competitive, the country's payments regulator has become caught in the crosshairs.