By: Samuel Norman

Senior City Reporter Samuel is a Senior City Reporter covering all the top financial institutions from retail banks to fintechs as well as stories on capital markets and economics. He has broken stories on some of the biggest names in the City and regularly writes in-depth analysis pieces on companies and industry trends. Samuel also leads on City AM's morning liveblog from 7am everyday. He writes a weekly column found in print and online on Wednesdays. He can be contacted at samuel.norman@cityam.com and posts on LinkedIn and X at x.com/samnormanwrites.

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Investec raises growth forecast and backs November interest rate cut

August 29, 2025

Global banking firm Investec has lifted its growth projections for the UK economy with another interest rate cut pencilled in for 2025. The financial services company expects the UK economy to grow 1.5 per cent this year and 1.6 per cent in 2026. This trumps the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast, which expects the [...]
Natwest and Lloyds shares lead £8bn plunge amid bank tax fears

August 29, 2025

Shares in a number of Britain’s biggest banking giants tumbled on Friday as speculation that Rachel Reeves would use the sector for an easy cash grab ramped up. Natwest topped the FTSE 100’s fallers, losing over five per cent. Meanwhile, Lloyds was down nearly four per cent, Barclays just over two per cent, whilst HSBC [...]
Business confidence edges up despite tax raid fears

August 29, 2025

Business confidence has grown for the fourth consecutive month, according to a fresh survey, despite rising speculation of a fresh tax raid on businesses by the Labour government. Lloyds Bank’s business confidence index edged up two points to 54 per cent in August as sentiment among manufacturers climbed to its highest in a decade. The [...]
Rachel Reeves’ winter fuel raid to raise £1.3bn less than hoped

August 29, 2025

Rachel Reeves’ fiscal agenda has been dealt another chilling blow with new data revealing savings from the winter fuel allowance will be lower than hoped after Labour’s row back. The Chancellor’s winter fuel raid will raise £1.3bn less than originally planned before the government U-turned following a rebellion from backbenchers. Just £227m is set to [...]
Rachel Reeves told ‘copy Margaret Thatcher’ with bank tax raid

August 29, 2025

Britain’s banking titans are back in the hot seat as Rachel Reeves faces renewed calls to hike taxes on lenders. The self-described “iron Chancellor” has been advised to take a leaf out of Margaret Thatcher’s book with a fresh levy on banks that would hand the Treasury up to £8bn a year. The levy – [...]
Saxo nets bumper profit after surge in customers

August 28, 2025

Saxo posted an adjusted net profit of DKK515m (£59.5m) for the first half of 2025, up from DKK508m. The company notched a new record of 1.4 million end clients as of June 30. Client assets reached DKK877bn, after a surge in new and existing client funding. The adjusted total income for the first half of [...]
FTSE 100 reshuffle: Metlen to oust Taylor Wimpey

August 28, 2025

A number of FTSE 100 constituents are set to find their spot at risk as the index heads towards a reshuffle. Metlen Energy and Metals, which switched its primary listing from Athens to London, is expected to capture a spot on London’s flagship stock exchange in the September reshuffle. The industrial firm has a market [...]
Natwest and Lloyds expect lending hit from broadband battle

August 28, 2025

Natwest and Lloyds have had to brace for losses on loans as players across the broadband sector struggle against escalating competition. Lloyds Banking Group’s commercial unit set aside £25m in provisions for loans that were unlikely to be fully repaid. William Chalmers, the group’s finance boss, said the coverage was mainly due to loans in [...]
National Wealth Fund pumps millions into battery storage developer

August 27, 2025

The National Wealth Fund has joined forces with two investment firms as part of a £500m venture to enhance the UK’s battery storage facilities. The consortium – including infrastructure asset manager Equitix and Australian pension fund Aware Super – will “build, own and operate grid-scale battery storage assets” via an investment in developer Eelpower Energy. [...]
Banking net zero club to change structure after member exodus

August 27, 2025

The global banking industry’s climate group will hold a vote on the future of its structure following a mass exodus of members. The Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) will determine whether it will transform from a membership-based alliance to a “new framework initiative”. It comes after the world’s banking giants fled the group as the financial [...]

Poundland owner ‘commits to protecting jobs’ after pressure from business secratary

Ice Hockey World Championships sponsor threatens to pull out over Russia

Andy Burnham says stockpile beans and tuna: Here’s the wine to pair with that

By: Samuel Norman

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