UK employer confidence falls to pandemic-era low May 12, 2025 Confidence among UK employers has fallen to lows seen only during the coronavirus pandemic as economic uncertainty over tariffs pile on top of rising costs for businesses. The number of UK employers expecting to increase headcounts over the next three months fell to the lowest outside of the pandemic, the latest survey of more than [...]
UK trading partners: China returns to top 10 as EU trade slumps May 12, 2025 China has returned to become a top 10 UK trading partner for the first time since 2022 after a slump in trade activity with the European Union. China is now the eighth largest trading partner for the UK, after countries like Ireland and Italy have declined significantly in popularity, data from Santander’s latest Trade Barometer [...]
Investment boss: US capital flight won’t necessarily benefit UK May 9, 2025 Investors fleeing US markets won’t necessarily boost the value of those in the UK or Europe, a senior investment boss has warned, pouring cold water on hopes for a London Stock Exchange revival. Last month’s Bank of America global fund manager survey found that investors were looking to cut their exposure to US stocks at [...]
Playtech stock plummets 60 per cent following dividend payout May 8, 2025 Playtech’s stock price has crashed more than 60 per cent following the payout of a special dividend worth close to two thirds of its market capitalisation. The gambling software firm paid out almost £1.5bn as a special dividend from the sale of its Italian consumer arm Snaitech to Flutter during last year. As a result, [...]
Flutter: Paddy Power owner stock sinks after gambler winnings May 8, 2025 Flutter, the gambling giant owner of Paddy Power and Betfair, has upgraded its profit guidance despite missing analyst forecasts in the first three months of 2025. The gambling giant failed to meet expectations on revenue and profit after the US March Madness college basketball series saw a number of favourites win out, it revealed in [...]
Rathbones: Fee income dips amid market turmoil May 8, 2025 Turmoil in the market following the introduction of Trump’s tariffs dented the performance of Rathbones Group’s funds, leading income from its wealth management fees to drop three per cent in the first quarter of 2025. Assets under management at the group dipped by five per cent by the end of March due to a combination [...]
FCA promises to go ‘harder and faster’ in reforming financial sector May 7, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has promised to go “harder and faster” in overhauling the financial sector amid government pressure to shake up a variety of regulatory burdens on firms. The watchdog has pledged to “take another look” at the rules around ongoing advice after wealth managers were forced to set aside hundreds of millions [...]
US dollar ‘structural downtrend’ set to benefit pound says UBS May 7, 2025 UBS has said investors should expect strengthening of the pound against the US dollar over the next year as fears grow over the American currency’s “fragility.” The pound has surged almost 10 per cent against the US dollar since its recent low in mid-January, now sitting at $1.33. However, UBS analysts expect the surge to continue towards [...]
UK investors flee bond funds amid US Treasury turmoil May 7, 2025 UK investors sold £1.2bn of bond fund holdings throughout April, as US bond markets fell into turmoil over Trump’s tariffs. As Treasury yields spiked during the month over fears around the fiscal ability of the US, investors fled the asset class in droves, according to data from Calastone. At one point last month, analysts were [...]
UK edges closer to US trade deal for cars and steel May 7, 2025 The UK is coming close to agreeing a trade deal with the US that would see president Donald Trump’s tariffs on motor and steel exports slashed, according to reports. The additional 25 per cent tariffs that Trump instituted on steel and car imports earlier this year are expected to be reduced in a deal later [...]
