Deal fever: Banking giants plot takeovers to ramp up market share June 18, 2025 British banking is poised for a major shake-up as top names go on the hunt for fresh acquisitions. Lenders have been scouting new deals that would send shockwaves across the industry. Much of the prospective dealmaking involves London lender Shawbrook, whose private equity owners have been circling high street bank Metro. Ahead of this, Shawbrook [...]
Sale Sharks tycoon Simon Orange buys steel giant June 17, 2025 The co-owner of rugby union side Sale Sharks, Simon Orange, has bought the UK’s second-largest steel contractor just a few months after selling his investment business in a deal worth more than £1bn. Self-made millionaire Orange, whose brother Jason was an original member of Take That, has snapped up a majority stake in Greater Manchester-based [...]
Banco Sabadell weighing sale of TSB Bank June 17, 2025 Banco Sabadell is mulling the sale of its British high street bank TSB after receiving expressions of interest. The Spanish lender confirmed last night that it has been approached regarding a potential takeover. Sabadell is reportedly working with advisers to examine the sale of the high street lender and has been in contact with potential [...]
Metro Bank shares soar after takeover interest from Shawbrook owner June 16, 2025 Shares in Metro bank boomed as markets opened on Monday after reports the high street lender had been approached for a takeover. The FTSE 250 bank’s stock was up nine per cent to 122.00p during early trading. On Friday, shares closed at 112.2p, giving it a market capitalisation north of £750m. This follows private equity [...]
Bargain Britain: UK firms under siege by foreign takeovers June 12, 2025 The London Stock Exchange has suffered a bruising week as private equity firms and foreign giants continue to snap up British bargains. Markets were hit with a double blow on Wednesday after Canadian consultancy giant acquired engineering firm Ricardo and KKR returned with a final bid for GP Landlord Assura. Assura has recommended a cash [...]
Spending Review: Reeves piles billions into tech as firms cool on UK June 11, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves bet heavy on tech and innovation in her maiden Spending Review, in a week that saw a trio of tech firms depart from the London Stock Exchange. Reeves hiked research and development funding to a record high of £22.6bn per year by the end of the Spending Review period. She doubled down [...]
Canadian giant swoops for London-listed Ricardo June 11, 2025 London-listed engineering firm Ricardo has agreed to a £281m acquisition deal by Canadian consultancy giant WSP in the latest foreign takeover blow to the London Stock Exchange. Ricardo has accepted the 430p per share offer, a 28 per cent increase on the firm’s closing price on June 10 of 326p. It is a 69 per [...]
CMA to investigate Aviva’s £3.7bn Direct Line deal May 14, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog has begun an investigation into insurance giant Aviva’s proposed £3.7bn acquisition of Direct Line. The Competition and Markets Authority said it had commenced its phase one inquiry to establish whether the deal would result in a “realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition.” The CMA has invited comment on the [...]
Revolut, Allica, Zopa: Analysts back ‘enduring value’ of UK fintech May 13, 2025 UK fintech received a wealth of praise from Peel Hunt analysts in a fresh sector note following a year of rapid growth for the industry. Fintech firms booked record profits in 2024 and have transitioned from disrupting the banking climate to direct competition with traditional lenders. Revolut topped 52.5 million customers in 2024, surpassing Europe’s [...]
Takeovers outnumber IPOs three to one on London Stock Exchange April 2, 2025 There have only been four IPOs on the London Stock Exchange so far this year, compared to 15 takeover bids, leading analysts to worry that London’s equity markets are being rapidly depleted of strong companies. “It’s now been nine months since the UK general election and the pace of IPOs is nothing more than a [...]