HSBC profit drops after Iran war and private credit charges bite May 5, 2026 HSBC missed its profit target in the first quarter of the year after the blue-chip lender booked a mammoth credit charge. The FTSE 100 giant – which boasts a huge £230bn market cap – recorded a pre-tax profit of $9.4bn (£6.5bn), missing the $9.6bn pencilled in by analysts. This figure is also down $100m on [...]
Sparking interest: Could utilities stocks power your portfolio? May 4, 2026 The FTSE 100 isn’t known as the flashiest of stock markets, lacking the might of the trillion-dollar tech stocks of the US or the glamorous luxury conglomerates of France. But what it lacks in shine, it makes up for in reliability, with the index reporting a 21.5 gain in 2025, its strongest calendar year performance [...]
‘Disappointing day’: Edinburgh Worldwide admits defeat to Saba Capital April 30, 2026 Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust had conceded defeat to Saba Capital, bringing its 17-month long battle with the US hedge fund to an end. In its annual general meeting (AGM) update released on Thursday morning, the investment trust admitted that it expects that there will be “insufficient votes” in favour of the resolutions relating to the [...]
St James’s Place shares slide as Iran war damages inflows April 29, 2026 St James’s Place saw a sharp decline in its share price during early morning trading on Wednesday, as Iran war volatility damaged inflows and funds under management. The FTSE 100 wealth manager saw shares tumble 5.2 per cent to 1,187p, with shares down 14.8 per cent this year to date. The group reported a 9.4 [...]
Barclays shares slide as sour loan provisions balloon to £823m April 28, 2026 Barclays made a mammoth reservation for bad loans in the first quarter led by the hostilities in the global market and a single name charge in its investment banking division. The blue-chip lender set aside £823m for potential loan losses, up from £643m in the same period last year, in a stark sign the firm [...]
Banks brace for potential tax raid if Starmer is ousted April 25, 2026 Banks in the UK are bracing for potential tax raises, as expectations that Keir Starmer could soon be replaced by a more leftwing Labour politician continue to grow. The banking sector narrowly evaded a tax increase in last year’s Autumn Budget after chancellor Rachel Reeves sought reassurance that they would boost lending in the UK [...]
Motor finance and wealth progress in spotlight for Lloyds earnings April 24, 2026 Investors will be looking for old wounds to be heal and crucial updates on expansion progress when Lloyds Banking Group gives its first-quarter update next week. The FTSE 100 banking titan – which is frequently cited as the UK’s most-traded stock – will give markets an insight into how it started the new year on [...]
AJ Bell inflows surge after record customer growth April 23, 2026 One of the UK’s largest investment platforms recorded a surge in net inflows in its latest trading update after attracting an influx of new customers. AJ Bell reported a 42 per cent rise in net inflows during the second quarter of the financial year, jumping from £1.9bn in 2025 to £2.7bn. Gross inflows also hiked [...]
Aberdeen leans on Interactive Investor as assets under management plunge April 22, 2026 Asset manager Aberdeen reported a drop in assets under management and advice in the first financial quarter, after the performance of Interactive Investor failed to combat outflows and market volatility. Assets under management and advice (AUMA) slipped from £556bn to £547.7bn, amid weaker markets, the disposal of its financial planning business and net outflows of [...]
Investment risk misunderstandings fuel cash hoarding April 21, 2026 Brits’ confusion over investment risk warnings has kept people clinging to cash and damaged economic growth, according to recent findings. Nearly 35 per cent of savers admitted the fear of losing money was holding them back from stepping into the stock market, according to the latest research from Barclays, with only 12 per cent expecting [...]