High street banks’ SME lending comeback inches forward September 11, 2025 High street banks’ return to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) inched onwards in the second quarter. The big banks have turned back to the area as the government clamps down on smaller firms’ difficulty accessing finance. Top bosses were summoned earlier this year for talks with ministers covering how to improve lending to SMEs. In [...]
Clearbank brings fintech revolution to corporate banking September 9, 2025 UK fintech Clearbank has laid out plans to power up its embedded banking services and take on legacy banks on a new battlefield. The firm said outdated “one-size-fits-all” approaches from centuries-old high street banks were “no longer fit for work” and set out plans to challenge traditional transaction services in areas like travel, hospitality and [...]
Challenger banks face ‘profitability trap’ at growth crossroads September 8, 2025 The UK banking sector faces a profitability roadblock that will give the industry’s challengers an “existential” turning point. Fresh data from KPMG suggests the industry’s average return on equity will fall to eight per cent come 2027 down from 13 per cent four years prior. This is set to spark an £11bn reduction in pre-tax [...]
Banks’ bond market headache spells trouble for FTSE 100 September 4, 2025 The frenzy in the bond market spells trouble for banking stocks and could create broader issues for the FTSE 100. Bond markets have had a tumultuous week, with the UK’s 30-year gilt yields hitting a 27-year high. This was triggered by a global sell-off, as well as political unease stemming from a Downing Street reshuffle [...]
Rachel Reeves warned on bank tax by lobby group boss September 4, 2025 Rachel Reeves has been hit with a firm warning from the banking industry to avoid taxes on the sector or risk harming economic growth. The Chancellor has received a letter from the boss of UK Finance – a lobby group for the banking industry – which details the harm of tax on the sector. David [...]
Lloyds Bank: 3,000 jobs at risk in performance overhaul September 4, 2025 Lloyds Bank is planning a major overhaul of its operations that could put five per cent of workers on the chopping block. The bank is set to review its approach to performance management with the bottom 3,000 of the firm’s 63,000 employees at risk of losing their role. The new plans, as reported by the [...]
Budget 2025: Banks to ‘bear the brunt of higher taxes’ September 2, 2025 UK banks will be the top target as Rachel Reeves looks to drum up cash in the Autumn Budget, a top economist has said. Chatter around a cash grab directed at banks has escalated over the last week after left-wing think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) proposed that the Chancellor raid the quantitative easing [...]
The spectre of 2008 haunts banks’ push into private credit September 2, 2025 Britain’s biggest banks are trying to grab a slice of the rapidly expanding private credit market, but as they look to grow, memories of the financial crisis are coming back to haunt the lenders. The global private credit market notched $2 trillion (£1.5 trillion) assets under management in 2024 and is expected to grow to $2.8 trillion [...]
Finance bosses back AI despite job loss concerns September 2, 2025 The financial services industry is set to drive more investment into AI as the industry’s senior leaders turn bullish on the tech. More than half of UK institutions expect to up their AI investment in the next 12 months while one in five said they would maintain current levels, data shared with City AM revealed. [...]
Budget 2025: Lloyds, Natwest and Barclays brace for a tax raid? September 1, 2025 Ahead of the 2024 Autumn Budget, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned Labour’s first fiscal event was “going to be painful”. He added those with the broadest shoulders “should bear the heavier burden” as Chancellor Rachel Reeves battled against an alleged ‘£22bn black hole’ inherited from the Conservative government. After lobbying efforts, banks were spared [...]