Former Trump ally Mike Pompeo joins London-listed copper firm January 30, 2025 Former US secretary of state and one-time Trump ally Mike Pompeo has joined London-listed copper miner ACG, bolstering its board as it plots a deals offensive and international expansion. ACG, led by a former executive at Russia’s biggest aluminium miner, said the former CIA director would join as a non-executive director and bring “valued strategic [...]
AIM and Aquis: London’s junior stock markets under threat without ‘urgent action’ from Reeves January 30, 2025 The government must take “urgent action” to revive London’s junior stock markets AIM and Aquis or risk more firms flooding overseas this year, a top City group has warned. In a new report today, The City UK, a trade body representing the UK’s financial services sector, called on the Chancellor Rachel Reeves and financial regulators [...]
‘Not a second to waste’: City of London calls for action to back up Reeves plans January 29, 2025 The City of London has warned the government there “isn’t a second to waste” in pushing through its growth plans today after the Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out proposals designed to kickstart investment into the economy. In a speech in Oxfordshire, Reeves looked to reset the government’s economic agenda in a speech which committed to [...]
‘Deregulation is essential’: Starmer vows to slash red tape in bid for growth January 29, 2025 Keir Starmer vowed to deregulate Britain and cut through “thickets of red tape” today as he tried to reboot his government’s handling of the economy following months of anaemic growth and criticism from business. In an article for the Times, the Prime Minister wrote “deregulation is essential” and warned investors were shunning the UK due [...]
Cornwall hopes for tin mining revival as metals firm lands £56m injection January 29, 2025 After the belts whirred to a halt and workers left Cornwall’s last operating tin mine for a final time in March 1998, a question was painted on its outer wall: “Cornish lads are fishermen and Cornish lads are miners too. But when the fish and tin are gone, what are the Cornish boys to do?” [...]
CMA set for showdown with Amazon and Microsoft over cloud dominance January 28, 2025 The competition watchdog could be set for a showdown with Amazon and Microsoft after an independent inquiry group said the regulator should probe the two firms’ dominance in the cloud services market. After launching an investigation into the market in 2023, the inquiry group said today that competition in the £9bn sector was not working [...]
Phoenix to restructure pensions business as Standard Life boss retires January 28, 2025 Phoenix Group is set to merge its pension solutions and asset management arms this year in a bid to rein in costs, as the boss of its Standard Life brand retires from the company after five years. In a statement today the FTSE 100 pensions giant, which manages around £290bn assets for savers, said it [...]
CMA chair pledges to speed up decision-making after government backlash January 28, 2025 The new chair of the competition watchdog has pledged to speed up its decision making and bring in outside expertise as part of plans to reshape the agency following months of criticism. Doug Gurr, a former Amazon executive who was parachuted in to lead the body after ministers ousted his predecessor last week, said “lengthy [...]
FCA chief: City firms should get ready for a ‘different relationship’ with us January 28, 2025 City firms should expect a “different relationship” with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and fewer “detailed rules”, as the watchdog rows in behind the government’s drive for growth, its chief executive Nikhil Rathi has said. In an interview with the Following the Rules podcast, the FCA boss warned the regulator was being forced to “rigorously” prioritise its [...]
Mike Ashley calls on Reeves to hold HMRC ‘to account’ after court victory January 27, 2025 Mike Ashley has called on the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to hold HMRC “to account” after the Sports Direct tycoon won a victory over the taxman in a data protection court battle. In a ruling today, the High Court said HMRC had taken “too narrow an approach” when it refused to hand over personal information to [...]
