Investec raises growth forecast and backs November interest rate cut August 29, 2025 Global banking firm Investec has lifted its growth projections for the UK economy with another interest rate cut pencilled in for 2025. The financial services company expects the UK economy to grow 1.5 per cent this year and 1.6 per cent in 2026. This trumps the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast, which expects the [...]
Rachel Reeves told ‘copy Margaret Thatcher’ with bank tax raid August 29, 2025 Britain’s banking titans are back in the hot seat as Rachel Reeves faces renewed calls to hike taxes on lenders. The self-described “iron Chancellor” has been advised to take a leaf out of Margaret Thatcher’s book with a fresh levy on banks that would hand the Treasury up to £8bn a year. The levy – [...]
Lloyds to hand shareholders over £17bn by 2027, analysts say August 26, 2025 Lloyds Banking Group shareholders are set for a bumper payout with analysts projecting the lender will return over £17bn to investors by 2027. The FTSE 100 giant was listed as Jefferies analysts “preferred” banking stock following a strong year-to-date performance. Shares in Lloyds have jumped over 50 per cent since January. The bank received a [...]
Dovish Powell hints at more rate cuts in US August 22, 2025 The Federal Reserve is likely to cut US interest rates at its next decision in September, Jay Powell has said, despite the country’s softening labour market being in conflict with upward pressure in prices from Donald Trump’s tariffs. In an eagerly anticipated address at the Jackson Hole symposium, the Fed chair highlighted slower economic growth, [...]
OSB’s profit plunges due to falling interest rates August 20, 2025 OneSavings Bank (OSB) recorded a hefty hit to profit for the first half of 2025 as lower interest rates took a chunk out of the group’s bottom line. The London-listed firm posted a 20 per cent decline in profit before tax, which fell to £192.3m in the first half. Net interest income (NII) fell five [...]
Monzo to follow Revolut and Klarna with launch of mobile service August 19, 2025 Monzo has become the latest fintech darling to expand its lifestyle reach with the firm exploring the development of mobile phone services. The London-based firm is looking to offer a Monzo-branded service to its over 12 million in account holders. The service would follow rival Revolut issuing plans in April to enter the mobile market [...]
Once bitten, twice inflated: The Bank of England’s rate cut conundrum August 14, 2025 After the MPC’s historic second vote on interest rates, is the Bank of England torn between fears of recession and inflation, asks Helen Thomas Seventeen years ago this month, the Bank of England produced its quarterly Inflation Reportas usual. In the 56 pages, the Bank’s forecasters laid out carefully crafted charts andanalysis of how growth [...]
House builder blames ‘broken planning system’ and interest rates for loss August 7, 2025 In independent house builder has blamed the “broken planning system” and high interest rates putting off first time buyers for it falling into the red. Cheshire-based Eccleston Homes has reported a pre-tax loss of £1.2m for the 12 months to 31 October, 2024, down from the £2m profit it achieved in the prior year. New [...]
Mortgage recovery hinges on a Bank of England interest rate cut August 6, 2025 Homeowners across the UK are catching a break as mortgage arrears fell for the first time since the cost-of-living crisis began – but a full recovery will hinge on the Bank of England’s decision on Thursday. Missed mortgage payments in the second quarter fell by 4.4 per cent across the UK, whilst direct debit rejections [...]
The Bank of England’s trouble-free decision to cut interest rates August 6, 2025 The Bank of England has long suffered from the accusation of groupthink. Reforms have been mooted – and some have been implemented – but it has struggled to shake off the charge. Economists at the Cato Institute and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) have, for example, pointed the blame at Threadneedle [...]