Business execs should snap out of summer slump quickly this year September 1, 2025 As the Budget moves closer into view, it looks like business execs will be met with stark awakenings in post-August office reset.
Investec raises growth forecast and backs November interest rate cut August 29, 2025 Global banking firm Investec has lifted its growth projections for the UK economy with another interest rate cut pencilled in for 2025. The financial services company expects the UK economy to grow 1.5 per cent this year and 1.6 per cent in 2026. This trumps the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast, which expects the [...]
Assets at Evelyn Partners hit a record high amid tax raid speculation August 29, 2025 Evelyn Partners has maintained its run of strong inflows, as speculation about pension changes drives customers to seek wealth management advice. The wealth management firm generated £3.7bn of gross inflows in the first half of the year, a seven per cent jump from the £3.5bn recorded in 2024. Assets under management (AUM) reached a record [...]
Natwest and Lloyds shares lead £8bn plunge amid bank tax fears August 29, 2025 Shares in a number of Britain’s biggest banking giants tumbled on Friday as speculation that Rachel Reeves would use the sector for an easy cash grab ramped up. Natwest topped the FTSE 100’s fallers, losing over five per cent. Meanwhile, Lloyds was down nearly four per cent, Barclays just over two per cent, whilst HSBC [...]
Business confidence edges up despite tax raid fears August 29, 2025 Business confidence has grown for the fourth consecutive month, according to a fresh survey, despite rising speculation of a fresh tax raid on businesses by the Labour government. Lloyds Bank’s business confidence index edged up two points to 54 per cent in August as sentiment among manufacturers climbed to its highest in a decade. The [...]
Lucrative law firm jobs remain dominated by men August 29, 2025 Lucrative senior dealmaking roles in UK law firms remain dominated by men, leaving female partners unable to make a dent in competitive areas of law. Men made up 80 per cent of partners hired into corporate and finance practices in the years 2019 to 2024, according to data from legal recruiter Edwards Gibson. Commercial and [...]
Rachel Reeves’ winter fuel raid to raise £1.3bn less than hoped August 29, 2025 Rachel Reeves’ fiscal agenda has been dealt another chilling blow with new data revealing savings from the winter fuel allowance will be lower than hoped after Labour’s row back. The Chancellor’s winter fuel raid will raise £1.3bn less than originally planned before the government U-turned following a rebellion from backbenchers. Just £227m is set to [...]
Rachel Reeves told ‘copy Margaret Thatcher’ with bank tax raid August 29, 2025 Britain’s banking titans are back in the hot seat as Rachel Reeves faces renewed calls to hike taxes on lenders. The self-described “iron Chancellor” has been advised to take a leaf out of Margaret Thatcher’s book with a fresh levy on banks that would hand the Treasury up to £8bn a year. The levy – [...]
Household costs hit private renters and families in Labour’s first year August 28, 2025 Household costs rose higher for families and renters than other groups in the year to June, official data has shown, as inflation has nearly doubled in the first year of Labour compared to the last year of the previous Conservative government. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said overall UK household costs rose by 3.9 [...]
Watch: Are we on the brink of a financial crisis? August 28, 2025 This might be the calm before the storm; the final stretch of a summer holiday that we might look back on as heady days before things turned very nasty indeed. Yesterday I interviewed the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Business Secretary – all lined up in the City AM studio. The video will be [...]