UK dividends fall as companies battle challenging economic backdrop October 23, 2025 UK dividends tumbled in the third quarter of the financial year, as large companies made significant cuts to their shareholder payouts. According to the latest dividend monitor from financial services firm Computershare, London-listed firms paid their shareholders £24.6bn in the third quarter, through one off and regular payments. This was a 1.4 per cent year-on-year [...]
Banking watchdog boss warns easing capital rules ‘highly risky’ October 22, 2025 The head of the UK’s banking watchdog has warned of high risk if the UK loosens its rules around lenders’ capital framework as the government pushes for economic growth. Sam Woods, the head of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), said requiring banks to no longer set aside capital for top-tier sovereign bonds would “be equivalent [...]
Britain’s inflation problem isn’t global – it’s made in the Treasury October 22, 2025 Reeves can’t keep blaming the last government or global headwinds for doubling inflation – it’s a result of her own policies, says Gareth Davies When the Conservatives left office in 2024, Britain was emerging from an incredibly challenging chapter in our history. Together we navigated the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, subsequent supply-chain shocks and [...]
Waymo founder: ‘I never envisioned a London rollout’ October 22, 2025 As Waymo prepares for its UK launch, founder Sebastian Thrun admitted he “never envisioned” London being home to autonomous cars. The driverless taxis have taken the US by storm, and the company will soon enter Europe, hitting the streets of the capital before the end of the year. The company, owned by Google parent Alphabet, [...]
Lawyers sound alarm over Rachel Reeves’ proposed tax target on LLPs October 22, 2025 The Chancellor is reportedly looking to target limited liability partnerships (LLPs) for a tax raid as she tries to fill the fiscal black hole, but critics warn that this move will have consequences for the professional services sector. The LLP model, used by professional services such as law firms, accountancy, and some doctors (GPs), came into force [...]
Benefits to increase more than expected next April October 22, 2025 Most state benefits will rise by 3.8 per cent next year in line with September’s rate of inflation, exceeding earlier predictions by the Treasury watchdog. September’s CPI inflation figures are used to calculate the increase to many welfare bills which take effect next April, including universal credit and personal independence payments (Pips). The rise is [...]
Gilt yields drop as Reeves crosses fingers to reap benefits October 22, 2025 Gilt yields have fallen as investors breathed a sign of relief after inflation came in below economist expectations, with top analysts claiming an interest rate cut this year is “very much in play” while adding that Rachel Reeves could be in luck. Gilts, the name for UK government bonds, have regained momentum in the UK [...]
Britain needs to ‘encourage enterprising entrepreneurs’ to kick-start economy October 22, 2025 Britain “needs to be a nation of shopkeepers once again” and “encourage enterprising entrepreneurs” to boost its economic prosperity, the chief executive of recruitment giant Reed has said. Speaking on an up-coming episode of City AM‘s Boardroom Uncovered podcast, James Reed said if he was Prime Minister for the day, he’d “make Britain a destination [...]
Reeves’ tax grab could ‘wipe £4bn out of the stock market’ October 22, 2025 One of the UK’s leading trading platforms has warned Chancellor Rachel Reeves that raising retail investor taxes could wipe billions off the stock market, undermining government attempts to boost domestic investing and strengthen the London market. According to research from trading platform IG, a two percentage point increase in both dividend and capital gains tax [...]
Inflation stays hot as UK’s economic woes deepen October 22, 2025 Inflation in the year to September remained sticky, new figures have shown, in further evidence that the UK’s economic woes have deepened and hit Brits harder than those in other countries. September was the third consecutive month that inflation hit 3.8 per cent, nearly double the Bank of England’s two per cent target. It came [...]