Foreign firms launch £7.8bn summer deals raid on British companies December 3, 2024 A raid by international firms on UK companies accelerated over the summer as foreign buyers kicked off deals worth some £7.8bn – even as domestic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) slumped. Foreign spending on UK companies rose by 16 per cent between July and September, thanks in part to the $976m (£769m) swoop by US-based Quanex [...]
Shein: Why the FCA is unlikely to block a blockbuster listing December 3, 2024 The boss of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has insisted he is not the regulator of “every aspect of corporate behaviour” amid growing concerns over plans for the fast fashion retailer Shein to float on the London Stock Exchange. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the FCA, said it is not within the regulator’s power to [...]
New labour force survey could be delayed to 2027 amid falling participation December 3, 2024 Since the pandemic, the ONS has struggled with falling response rates to its flagship labour force survey (LFS), which has raised questions over the accuracy of its data.
Natwest boss says government could exit stake in first half of 2025 December 3, 2024 The chief executive of Natwest has said the bank could return to full private ownership in the first half of 2025, a move that would draw a line under the government’s bailouts of lenders during the financial crisis. Speaking at the Financial Times’ Global Banking Summit on Tuesday, Paul Thwaite said he was “delighted with [...]
Profit jumps at Upper Crust owner SSP despite sluggish European performance December 3, 2024 In the 2024 financial year, the firm's operating profit jumped by 23 per cent to £206m, up from £167m last year. Pretax profit rose by 35 per cent.
Jaguar: First look at electric car revealed following rebrand backlash December 3, 2024 Jaguar has revealed the first look at its new luxury electric car following a backlash over its recent rebranding. The iconic Britich carmaker sparked criticism last month after switching up its logo to ‘JaGUar’ and launching an ad which included slogans such as “delete ordinary” and “copy nothing.” The move led to accusations Jaguar was [...]
M&S and Waitrose meal deal maker Greencore rebuilds profits December 3, 2024 Food manufacturer Greencore has experienced a “stronger than expected” year of trade as the meal deal producer rebuilds profitability ahead of 2025. The Irish business, which supplies sandwiches and sushi to the likes of M&S and Waitrose, told markets this morning that like-for-like sales jumped from 29.7 per cent to 33.2 per cent in the [...]
Tom Kerridge warns Budget tax hike will have ‘catastrophic’ effect on hospitality firms December 3, 2024 Tom Kerridge has warned that the government's tax hikes will have a "catastrophic" impact on many hospitality firms in the new year.
On the Beach brings back dividend after package holiday boost December 3, 2024 On the Beach chief Shaun Morton said the performance was "driven by a combination of initiatives," including the firm's tie-up with Ryanair.
Four ‘outrageous’ market predictions for 2025 December 3, 2024 Saxo Bank has published the latest in an annual series of “outrageous predictions” for 2025, from Nvidia trouncing its Mag Seven peers to the US dollar blowing up. The Danish bank’s predictions for the year, which do not represent its official views, are “meant to spark discussions and challenge consensus” about a changing world. Here [...]
