Standard Chartered shares hit 12-year high after income upgrade Banking Banking giant Standard Chartered has upgraded its income target for the full-year after its booming wealth business powered profit higher. The FTSE 100 lender posted a pre-tax profit of $1.8bn (£1.36bn) in the three months to September, ahead of the $1.5bn pencilled in by analysts. Shares in the bank jumped to a 12-year high after [...]
Autumn Budget: Wealth tax would drive £100bn out of UK economy Economics Rachel Reeves is facing renewed calls to rule out any form of wealth tax in the Autumn Budget with concerns such a move would drive £100bn out of the UK economy. The Chancellor confirmed on Wednesday higher taxes on the nation’s wealthiest would be a “part of the story” in the Budget. But fresh research [...]
Private market fund managers optimistic on real asset returns Business Private market fund managers are increasingly confident of strong returns being generated by real assets over the next decade, as assets under management in the sector continue to grow. According to exclusive research shared with City AM from investment service Wealth Club, nearly 70 per cent of fund managers predict annualised returns between 5 and 6 [...]
Lloyds: FTSE 100 giant’s slow wealth progress sparks takeover talk October 7, 2025 Lloyds’ “slow” progress in wealth management has sparked talks of a potential takeover as the banking titan looks to beef up its offering for high net worth individuals. The FTSE 100 giant exited the area in 2013 as part of a simplification drive after the financial crisis, with the reduction of its stake in St [...]
Lloyds looks to take control of Schroders wealth tie-up October 2, 2025 Lloyds Banking Group is looking to ditch its wealth tie-up with Schroders and take control of the six-year old unit. The FTSE 100 titan is poised to buy out Schroders’ 49.9 per cent stake in Schroders Personal Wealth (SPW). The transaction would hand full control over to Lloyds as the bank sets out to expand [...]
‘Cash cow’ inheritance tax receipts edge higher as further changes loom September 19, 2025 Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts are on course for a record breaking year, as an increasing number of Brits brace themselves for further potential tax changes. According to the latest HMRC data, IHT receipts hit £3.7bn in the first five months of the 2025/26 tax year, continuing their two decade long upward trend. This is also [...]
“Smart money” is doubling down on private equity – but are private investors missing out? September 3, 2025 Public pension plans, sovereign wealth funds and family offices keep bulking up their investments in private equity and private markets. Now, at last, private investors can get in. In July, the largest US public pension fund CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) announced its best set of results in four years. It also bulked up [...]
Stock markets shrinking: where could investors turn for growth? July 1, 2025 Darktrace, Skechers, Royal Mail – more and more companies are being taken private. But investors needn’t miss out. Investing in private companies is no longer off-limits – and you can invest from just £10,000. Global stock markets are shrinking. Last year alone, they saw a net decline of over $120 billion – three times the total [...]
VCT capacity fills up in advance of tax year end March 21, 2025 Venture capital trusts (VCTs) have been reaching capacity as the end of the tax year approaches, with Northern VCTs closing their £36m fundraise this week. The decision by a few large VCTs not to raise money this tax year, and smaller offers from some other players, means capacity is six per cent lower than last [...]
30th anniversary of VCTs celebrated as 2024 raise approaches £240m December 1, 2024 The total amount of money raised through venture capital trusts (VCTs) this tax year is approaching £240m, 20 per cent higher than last year, as the investment industry celebrates the vehicle’s 30th birthday. The VCT was unveiled in the 1994 Budget, where Chancellor Ken Clarke launched the scheme, and have since raised £12.5bn, funnelling money [...]