Analysts dampen outlook for FTSE 100 banks as tax clouds gather October 21, 2025 The UK’s top banks are gearing up for a third-quarter reporting season where all eyes will be on the Labour government’s second Autumn Budget. Speculation of a bank tax hike has dominated chatter around the sector in recent months and elevated fears across the City. It also comes alongside flaring tensions between the lending industry [...]
HSBC shares jump after naming top Natwest boss as new UK chief October 21, 2025 European banking juggernaut HSBC enjoyed a bump in its share price as markets opened on Monday after the bank named its new UK boss. David Lindberg, who most recently led retail banking operations at Natwest, will join the FTSE 100 titan to take the helm at its UK bank. Shares jumped near two per cent [...]
UK banks tax rate rises as fears of a budget raid spike October 15, 2025 The tax rate on the UK banking sector rose in the last financial year as the industry braces for a potential hike to its financial burden in the Autumn Budget. A fresh study from banking industry body UK Finance and PwC revealed London lender’s total tax rate rose 0.6 per cent to 46.4 per cent [...]
Goldman Sachs chief warns Rachel Reeves against bank tax October 14, 2025 The boss of Goldman Sachs has warned Chancellor Rachel Reeves that an increase to the financial burden slapped on the banking sector would dent economic growth ambitions. In a private meeting with the Chancellor, David Solomon said hitting the industry with higher taxes would dampen wider prospects for the country’s growth. The remarks come ahead [...]
Legal & General eyes bid for Natwest pension provider October 11, 2025 Legal & General is eying a bid for Natwest’s pension provider Cushon as the financial services giant looks to beef up its segment in the retirement market. The FTSE 100 giant is among a handful of potential buyers who have expressed interest in acquiring Cushon. Such a deal with Legal & General would thrust the [...]
Natwest hires top tech talent amid UK innovation push October 9, 2025 NatWest had doubled down on its support for the UK’s high-growth and innovation economy with two senior strategic hires in its newly formed venture banking team. Greg Brown has joined as head of venture capital coverage, and Kim Martin has stepped in as head of venture and growth finance, reflecting the bank’s renewed push to [...]
Autumn Budget: Why are banks in Rachel Reeves’ tax crosshairs? October 7, 2025 The “pass the parcel” of Budget speculation has fallen back into the lap of the banking industry with the nation’s top lenders finding themselves as a potential subject of a November cash grab. Fresh reports have indicated Rachel Reeves is actively considering a raid on Britain’s banking giants – even as she continues to make [...]
Rachel Reeves mulls bank tax amid scramble to fill fiscal hole October 6, 2025 Rachel Reeves is reported to be weighing up a tax on Britain’s banking giants as the Treasury looks to strum up cash in the forthcoming Autumn Budget. The Chancellor is expected to be staring down a fiscal blackhole of over £20bn come November 26 and banks have been viewed as an easy – and politically [...]
Natwest chair: Rachel Reeves’ Budget must include radical tax reform September 29, 2025 The chair of banking giant Natwest has called for Rachel Reeves to implement “radical tax reform” in her Autumn Budget. Rick Haythornthwaite has said a “bold long-term plan” to “kick-start growth” would reassure jittery bond markets and “deliver much-needed social benefits”. “This is the time for a 10-year programme of radical tax reform. Time for [...]
Banking watchdog launches deregulation push as tax fears grow September 22, 2025 Britain’s banking watchdog has laid out plans to slash regulation across the industry in a bid to sweeten the sector’s operating environment. In fresh proposals hoping to cut the red tape on the sector, the PRA identified 37 “individual reporting templates” which have “overlapping and complex requirements” in a bid to ease the administrative cost [...]