Pension funds pledged a private investment splurge. Three years on, has anything changed? July 15, 2026 When 11 of the UK’s largest pension providers signed a deal to pump billions into unlisted companies in July 2023, the mood at Mansion House in the City was celebratory. Then Chancellor Jeremy Hunt hailed the signing a “great personal triumph” for then Lord Mayor, Sir Nicholas Lyons. If the remainder of the UK defined [...]
AI is driving a VC investment boom July 15, 2026 The UK has landed some of the biggest megadeals in history, but it must double down on tech investment to keep its crown, says Nicole Lowe The UK is currently riding on the crest of a wave of near-record-breaking levels of venture capital investment and I’m delighted that it shows no sign of coming to [...]
SailGP, rugby and PJL: Inside the new £50m budget sporting asset class July 14, 2026 With big money tickets ever harder to find, investors are looking far and wide for their next affordable investment. Big-money takeovers will always catch the eye; whether that be the multi-billion-pound purchase of Chelsea by a Todd Boehly-fronted consortium from Roman Abramovich, the £1.3bn takeover of Indian Premier League team Royal Challengers Bengaluru by a [...]
Plus500 revenue surges as US prediction markets drive growth July 13, 2026 Plus500 reported a rise in revenue after the trading platform pushed into the surging US prediction markets. Revenue reached a three year record high, increasing 12 per cent year on year to $462.9m (£346m). The firm also pinned the performance on “heightened market volatility”. Earnings before tax remained flat at $187.5m, after growth was offset [...]
Fixing the £100,000 tax trap would be a bold first step – let’s not undermine it by taxing investment more July 9, 2026 Lord O’Neill is right to call for reform of the £100,000 tax trap, but taxing capital gains more heavily could end up costing the Treasury £8bn, says Michael Healy This week, a group of leading economists led by Lord O’Neill called for a fundamental overhaul of the UK’s tax system. Their argument that Britain has [...]
Schroders sells financial planning arm as it accelerates high net-worth shift July 6, 2026 Schroders has agreed to sell its advice business Benchmark Capital to Swedish wealth firm Soderberg & Partners as it accelerates a shift toward wealth management and high net-worth clients. Under the terms of the deal, Schroders will become a long-term asset manager to Soderberg & Partners and exit direct ownership of the financial planning business. [...]
Tale of two cities: London leaps ahead in global finance but domestic growth stalls July 3, 2026 The City of London has cemented its dominance in international finance ten years on from the Brexit vote but faced sobering domestic growth that failed to match the momentum. The capital sees more international activity conducted than the next eight largest financial centres in Europe combined, according to a new report by New Financial. The [...]
Forvis Mazars and top partner hit with £600,000 fine for audit failings July 2, 2026 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has hit accountancy giant Forvis Mazars and a top partner at the firm, David Allen, with a combined £610,537 for audit failings relating to a retail firm listed on the London Stock Exchange’s main market. The FRC said it has issued the fines following an investigation into both Forvis Mazars [...]
Natwest hit with £250m lawsuit tied to Thurrock Council scandal July 1, 2026 Natwest could be on the hook for more than a quarter of a billion pounds for allegedly aiding a businessman in secretly transferring funds from his investment firm. The FTSE 100 giant’s subsidiary – the Royal Bank of Scotland – has been engulfed in the collapse of Rockfire Group, which was triggered by a fraud [...]
‘Nearing a turning point’: Reinsurers set to pay out as climate disasters loom June 29, 2026 The insurance industry is bracing for severe losses in the next financial year as global natural disasters trigger higher claims from consumers. Morningstar analysts predict reinsurance earnings to peak over the course of 2026, arguing that the industry is currently at the bottom of a low-loss weather cycle, meaning it is seeing the end of [...]