Live results: Reform takes ten county councils in local elections landslide May 2, 2025 Reform is set to pick up hundreds of council seats around the country both from the Conservatives and Labour, in a significant electoral breakthrough. So far, the party has gained more than 500 seats, with the vast majority still to be counted and formally announced. In a major coup for Reform, it has taken control [...]
Healthcare firm Totally weighs sale as it faces eight-figure medical negligence claim May 1, 2025 Totally is exploring a sale of one or more of its subsidiaries to shore up its balance sheet after the firm revealed it faces an eight-figure medical negligence claim. The Derby-based business is to undertake a “strategic review” under which it will consider “selling one or more of the company’s subsidiaries”, “receiving strategic investment or [...]
Force ISA savers to invest more in UK equities, Peel Hunt says May 1, 2025 ISA rules should be rewritten to force savers to invest into UK equities, a leading City investment bank has argued, claiming the move would be vital to rejuvenate London’s ailing capital markets. The cap on cash ISAs should be slashed from £20k to £5k to promote a transfer of savings into shares, according to a [...]
Argo Blockchain shares tumble as it prepares to suspend trading amid widening losses April 30, 2025 Argo Blockchain has seen its stock tumble as it prepares to suspend trading of its shares over issues with its accounts as it posted widening losses. The crypto miner’s shares fell as much as 25 per cent as it conceded it had failed to finalise its accounts by the deadline required by London listing rules, [...]
Fresh row over plan to mandate pension fund investments April 30, 2025 A row has erupted over reports the government is plotting to set mandates on pension fund allocations, while the chief architect of the so-called Mansion House reforms – which aimed to encourage the deployment of pension fund assets into unlisted equities – has distanced himself from the move. Pension bosses are understood to have been [...]
Private takeovers ‘biggest threat’ to London market, report finds April 30, 2025 Private markets are a much bigger threat to the London Stock Exchange than the lure of an overseas listing, a new report has found, as it poured scorn on the “misleading” narratives that tempt fast-growing firms to drop London in favour of a New York IPO. The US has welcomed as much as $676bn worth [...]
THG posts rise in beauty sales April 29, 2025 THG hailed a strong performance in its beauty division as the e-commerce firm posted its annual results. The division, which is the largest of the firm’s units and includes the Biossance, ESPA and Lookfantastic brands, posted a 4.6 per cent rise in turnover to £1.1bn for the 2024 calendar year. Demand for skincare and fragrance [...]
ABF weighs closing Yorkshire plant after accusing government of ‘undermining’ viability April 29, 2025 More than 100 jobs could be at risk after the owner of a Yorkshire bioethanol plant said it was considering shutting down the facility, blaming the move on the government “undermining” its viability. The Salt End, Kingston upon Hull-based plant, which is operated by Vivergo and employs around 150 staff, has swung to a loss [...]
Bank of England ‘killing’ UK stablecoin ambitions, body warns April 29, 2025 The Bank of England risks “killing” London’s potential to become a global hub for stablecoins with its “prescriptive” rules, an industry body has warned, as it called for the rapid creation of a regulatory regime to support use of the digital assets. London’s dominance of the foreign exchange market, in which it accounts for as [...]
Lidl eyes Mayfair and Chelsea stores amid £500m expansion April 28, 2025 You could soon shop at a Lidl store in the swanky London districts of Mayfair and Chelsea as the low-cost supermarket plans dozens more store openings as part of a £500m expansion plan. The German-owned business, which controls 7.8 per cent of the UK grocery market according to latest Kantar figures, has published a list [...]
