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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Shawbrook Bank’s loan and deposit book boosted by retail demand

May 15, 2025

Shawbrook Bank received a boost to its loan book in the first-quarter driven by strong demand in commercial and retail markets. Lending increased to £15.8bn, from £15.2bn at the end of 2024. This marked a 15 per cent annual jump. The growth came as the group’s structured lending pipeline reached a new high, as it [...]
Secure Trust bolsters lending as it ‘monitors’ global turbulence

May 15, 2025

Specialist lender Secure Trust Bank delivered an upbeat first-quarter trading statement on Thursday with growth across lending and deposits. The London-listed lender posted a 3.2 per cent quarterly increase in its net lending to £3.7bn. This was up 10.5 per cent from the first quarter of 2024. The firm said its business finance and consumer [...]
Labour’s National Wealth Fund hounded with calls for clarity

May 15, 2025

Labour’s National Wealth Fund (NWF) faced renewed pressure on Wednesday as the Treasury Committee kicked off its inquiry into the new body. The NWF’s ability to boost economic growth across the country was the subject of questions posed by MPs to investment industry leaders. Its status as a “wealth fund” came under fire against comparisons [...]
Public trust in pensions declines for the first time in five years

May 14, 2025

The government is facing a fresh headache in its pension reform plans as new research shows trust in the industry declined for the first time in five years. Average trust in the industry has dipped to 5.23 out of 10, from a peak of 5.26, according to the fifth Trust and Confidence Index released by [...]
Exclusive: JP Morgan’s City of London office vandalised

May 14, 2025

JP Morgan’s London office was left in ruin on Wednesday morning after a brutal act of vandalism. Victoria Enbankment staff were met with smashed windows and an assault of red paint across building walls upon reaching their office. Security had cordoned off all entrances to the bank, with staff exiting through guarded side doors. JP [...]
Rank: Grosvenor casino owner hits jackpot as laws relaxed

May 14, 2025

Rank Group – the owner of UK-based chain Grosvenor casinos – is set to ramp up the number of gaming machines in its casinos after the government said it would relax gambling laws. Shares in the group soared nearly eight per cent on Wednesday morning. The firm said the government’s review of the 2005 Gambling [...]
Vanquis shares jump after recovery from complaints storm

May 14, 2025

Shares in Vanquis Banking Group rose on Wednesday after the firm said it had swung back into profitability following a major blow from complaints in 2024. The London-listed bank’s stock was up nearly seven per cent as markets opened, trading above 75p. The Bradford-based lender recorded £2bn in net receivables, the total money expected to [...]
FCA to rip up insurance rules in drive for growth

May 14, 2025

The Financial Conduct Authority has outlined plans to ditch “outdated or duplicated” insurance rules in a bid to help firms reduce costs and drive competition. The City regulator’s fresh proposals would hand firms greater responsibility over reviewing the value of their product. This would involve companies using the risks and characteristics of each individual product [...]
Zopa Bank: UK fintech raises £80m with its first LSE bond listing

May 14, 2025

Zopa Bank has raised £80m in its first-ever London Stock Exchange bond listing as it gears up to launch current accounts. The fintech will transfer to an unlisted public company within six months following the transaction as it inches closer to the possibility of a float on the LSE. The oversubscribed fundraise was completed on the [...]
Revolut, Allica, Zopa: Analysts back ‘enduring value’ of UK fintech

May 13, 2025

UK fintech received a wealth of praise from Peel Hunt analysts in a fresh sector note following a year of rapid growth for the industry. Fintech firms booked record profits in 2024 and have transitioned from disrupting the banking climate to direct competition with traditional lenders. Revolut topped 52.5 million customers in 2024, surpassing Europe’s [...]

Spain must host 2035 Rugby World Cup because Europe is sport’s commercial hub

Spain must host 2035 Rugby World Cup because Europe is sport’s commercial hub

Prima Facie film review: Cynthia Erivo’s harrowing tear-jerker

By: Samuel Norman

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