UK dividends jump in the final financial quarter of 2025 January 29, 2026 UK dividends rose in the final quarter of 2025, lifted by better than anticipated payouts across a range of sectors. Dividends jumped 1.3 per cent on a headline basis to £14.3bn, according to the latest dividend monitor figures from financial services company Computershare. Regular dividends, excluding one-off special payments, rose to £13.9bn, up 2.1 per [...]
Private market allocations reach record high as investors pump in £4.7 trillion January 28, 2026 Global private market allocations from institutional investors have reached record highs, with many planning to increase their allocations over the next few years. Private markets have risen to represent 12.5 per cent of overall portfolio allocations, accounting for $6.5 trillion (£4.7 trillion) of assets under management, according to the latest study from Aviva Investors. North [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown overhauls fees in face of rising competition January 26, 2026 The UK’s largest DIY investment platform is reducing fees for roughly half of its 2m-plus customers as it continues to face escalating competition within the industry. Hargreaves Lansdown said it will cut its annual account and share dealing fees, but add a charge for fund trading in its first overhaul of pricing in more than [...]
Gold hits new record high amid fresh Trump turmoil January 26, 2026 The price of gold jumped above $5,000 on Monday, as investors once again scrambled to get their hands on the safe haven asset amid heightened Trump tariff turmoil and policy changes. The precious metal surged to $5,078 (£3,716) per ounce, extending its record rally, before reaching $5,097.24 on Monday morning. Silver also hurtled past $100 [...]
Institutional investors brace for IPO revival as general partners eye listings January 26, 2026 Global institutional investors are anticipating an uptick in IPO activity in 2026, as more general partners prepare to enter the stock market. Almost eight in ten limited partners (LPs), investors in a partnership who contribute capital but do not manage operations, reported that their general partners (GPs), individuals who manage investments, were preparing portfolio companies [...]
Fund giant slashes UK exposure as investors sour on Britain January 23, 2026 One of the world’s largest money managers is shedding its investments in the UK, after investors said they wanted more of their cash to be allocated overseas despite a government push to encourage investment in domestic equities. Vanguard, the world’s second largest asset manager, said it would reduce its £52bn Life Strategy fund’s UK equity [...]
Ask the expert: I’m a higher rate taxpayer. Where can I save that won’t result in a big tax bill? January 22, 2026 Fidelity International personal finance specialist, Marianna Hunt, helps a taxpayer looking to lower their tax bill. Q: I’m a higher rate tax payer and likely to become an additional rate taxpayer. I currently hold both a cash and stocks and shares ISA. I also have Premium Bonds and a healthy amount in pensions. Where can [...]
UK ready to mirror US with female athletes becoming investors January 17, 2026 For three consecutive years, not a single female athlete has appeared among the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes. The bar keeps rising. In 2025, the threshold jumped to $53.6m, up 19 per cent year on year. Coco Gauff, the highest-earning female athlete in the world, made $34.4m and still fell nearly $20m short. Meanwhile the global [...]
BVCA unveils rebrand to mark private equity shift January 13, 2026 The British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) is rebranding to UK Private Capital, to reflect the shifting UK investment landscape. The lobby group said the change, which is subject to final approval by its members later this week, is to adapt to the growth and evolution of the UK’s private capital industry, spanning [...]
Young people seek to boost savings to offset cost of living squeeze January 13, 2026 Young people are seeking to save more money in 2026, as the cost of living crisis focuses minds on careful financial management. According to the latest City AM polling from Freshwater strategy, over half of Britons are aiming to save money, but a staggering 70 per cent of 18 to 34 year olds are prioritising [...]