Investors shun short-term gains amid market volatility February 12, 2026 UK retail investors are turning away from short term trading in favour of increased portfolio diversification, in a bid to weather ongoing market volatility. Over the past two years investors have become significantly diversified, increasing allocations across all major asset classes, according to the latest retail investor survey from Etoro. In particular, overseas-listed equities saw [...]
Another blow to Stock Exchange as Schroders snapped up by US rival in shock £10bn deal February 12, 2026 Asset manager Schroders has agreed to a £9.9bn takeover by American investment firm Nuveen, in a deal that would end over two centuries of independence for the UK’s largest standalone asset manager. Under the terms of the agreement, Schroders shareholders will receive 612 pence per share, including a cash consideration of 590 pence and a [...]
UK wealth managers endure share price plummet amid AI tool fears February 11, 2026 Shares in some of the UK’s largest wealth managers tumbled on Wednesday, as investors grew concerned about the potential competitive pressure from a new AI-led investment tool. Britain’s biggest wealth group, St James’s Place, suffered a 12.7 per cent drop, trading at 1,265 pence, after US-based wealth management platform Altruist launched a tool to help [...]
Should you consider Junior ISAs for your kids? February 10, 2026 The end of the tax year is creeping closer, concentrating the minds of UK savers and investors on the hunt for the best deal. While most of the noise surrounding the 5 April deadline centres on securing the most favourable interest rates on cash ISAs and finding stocks and shares ISA with the lowest fees, [...]
Ask the expert: I’m in my 40s. Should I start derisking my pension? February 10, 2026 Fidelity personal finance specialist Marianna Hunt is back to help a reader who wants to retire early but is unsure on how to protect the value of their investments as they prepare to stop working. Q: I’m in my late 40s and calculate that I’ve got enough saved into pensions to retire at age 57. [...]
Ease restrictions to boost retail investment, says leading digital platform February 9, 2026 The UK must do more to ease restrictions for retail investors, a director of a leading digital trading platform has said, after renewing calls for regulators, operators and policymakers to incentivise the use of innovative investment products. Speaking in an interview with City AM, Michael Healy, managing director, UK and Ireland at IG Group, noted [...]
UK investors overpaying platform fees by hundreds of pounds February 5, 2026 UK investors who fail to shop around are overpaying hundreds of pounds in platform fees leaving some missing out on compound gains. Over 50 per cent of UK investors are using the market’s 12 most expensive providers, with both active and passive investors shelling out hundreds in fees alone, according to the latest research from [...]
Quality over quantity: UK M&A volume slips but deal value climbs February 4, 2026 UK merger and acquisition deal value increased last year despite a fall in volumes as investors turned their focus to acquiring fewer, higher-quality assets. The total number of UK deals fell 12 per cent year on year to 2,991, down from 3,411 in 2024, according to the latest industry trends data from PwC. But overall [...]
Insurance industry must do more to build consumer trust, says FCA deputy executive February 3, 2026 The insurance industry must do more to build consumer trust amid outdated practices and a flurry of corporate scandals, the boss of Britain’s financial regulator has said. Speaking at the annual Association of British Insurers conference, Sarah Pritchard, deputy chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), noted that despite ongoing innovation within the sector [...]
Scrapping stamp duty could boost investment in UK stocks February 2, 2026 Brits have called for the removal of stamp duty on UK shares in order to incentivise them to allocate capital into the London market. Three quarters of investors said that the scrapping of stamp duty on UK shares and trusts would prompt them to take more interest and potentially invest more, according to the latest [...]