Aberdeen is back in the FTSE 100 but is Interactive Investor holding it up? August 12, 2026 Five years ago former Aberdeen chief executive Stephen Bird made what would prove to be a disastrous choice when he chose to rebrand the investment manager abrdn. The decision was widely mocked across the Square Mile – including earning the odd jibe in these pages. Some have called Bird’s decision the beginning of his downfall [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown orders staff back to office August 9, 2026 The UK’s largest DIY investment site is ordering employees back to the office from the start of next year. Hargreaves Lansdown will order its staff into the workplace for three days a week, shortly after the firm moves into its new Bristol office. The wealth manager, which was acquired by buyout firms including CVC Capital [...]
IHT pension scramble shows ‘no sign of slowing down’, says Royal London boss August 5, 2026 The mass scramble among UK pension savers to avoid being pulled into the inheritance tax net shows “no sign of slowing down”, as the policy shakeup creeps closer. From April 2027, pensions will be included in the scope of inheritance tax (IHT), meaning unused funds and death benefits will count towards the value of a [...]
London’s IPO lull expected to last into 2027 August 3, 2026 London’s IPO market is expected to remain subdued for the rest of the year, as domestic and overseas political upheaval puts companies off listing. The UK’s stock market has had minimal IPO activity this year to date, seeing just seven new listings which raised a combined £557m. This ended the IPO surge seen at the [...]
Astrazeneca share price tumbles on $400bn megamerger talks August 3, 2026 Astrazeneca’s share price slumped sharply on Monday as investors baulked at a potential $400bn megamerger with US rival Bristol Myers Squibb. Shares in the UK drugmaker slid six per cent in early trading to 11,866p after the Financial Times reported it has been holding talks regarding a potential tie-up with the US group in recent [...]
Schroders profits surge as assets hit record £868bn July 30, 2026 Schroders said its profit nearly doubled in the first half of the year as assets under management hit a record high of £868bn. The FTSE 100 money manager, which is in the process of being acquired by US funds group Nuveen, said assets under management (AUM) jumped 12 per cent to £867.8bn, up from £776.6bn [...]
Aegon warns red tape is blocking pension investment spree July 16, 2026 Aegon has warned that regulation is holding back some of Britain’s top pension fund managers from pumping cash into the country’s start-ups and unlisted companies. The pension giant, which manages £160bn of assets in the UK alone, was one of 11 companies alongside Aviva and Legal & General to commit to investing five per cent [...]
Pension funds pledged a private investment splurge. Three years on, has anything changed? July 15, 2026 When 11 of the UK’s largest pension providers signed a deal to pump billions into unlisted companies in July 2023, the mood at Mansion House in the City was celebratory. Then Chancellor Jeremy Hunt hailed the signing a “great personal triumph” for then Lord Mayor, Sir Nicholas Lyons. If the remainder of the UK defined [...]
Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East boost Cohort’s order book July 15, 2026 The rise in global conflicts boosted Cohort’s order book as NATO nations continue to hike their defence spending. The defence technology group recorded a 13 per cent rise in revenue over the financial year to £306.4m, up from £270m. The jump reflected its surging order intake, which jumped 10 per cent to £314.2m. Its order [...]
Schroders sells financial planning arm as it accelerates high net-worth shift July 6, 2026 Schroders has agreed to sell its advice business Benchmark Capital to Swedish wealth firm Soderberg & Partners as it accelerates a shift toward wealth management and high net-worth clients. Under the terms of the deal, Schroders will become a long-term asset manager to Soderberg & Partners and exit direct ownership of the financial planning business. [...]