Barclays reverses branch cuts as bank managers return to high street April 4, 2026 Barclays is planning to expand its high street presence and revive the “bank manager” role after years of rapid branch closures. The bank’s UK chief executive Vim Maru told the Times on Saturday that Barclays would increase its branch network beyond its current 206 sites, having already paused a programme that saw it shut around [...]
Space X kicks off IPO process with confidential filing April 2, 2026 Elon Musk’s Space X has confidentially filed to go public, bringing the rocket company a step closer to delivering what is expected to be the largest initial public offering in history. The Texas-based company submitted its draft IPO paperwork to the US Securities and Exchange Commission this week, according to the Financial Times, citing two [...]
Lloyds shares slump amid questions over motor finance legal battle April 2, 2026 Lloyds shares slumped this morning even as the banking giant declared it would not have to top up its provisions following the confirmation of a motor finance redress scheme. The group – which owns the UK’s largest car finance lender Black Horse – said it had “undertaken an assessment of the implications and impact” of [...]
UK banks blast regulations for ‘penalising’ good risk management April 2, 2026 Top lenders have laid bare their frustrations with UK banking regulation in a bombshell new report that urges the removal of “excessive conservatism”. In response to the Bank of England’s review of capital requirements, the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) – which represents over 150 global banks, including the UK’s Big Four – [...]
Topps Tiles shares tumble as it unveils plans to shut over 20 stores April 1, 2026 Topps Tiles shares tumbled on Wednesday after the DIY staple unveiled plans to shut more than 20 stores as it wrestles with weak demand and rising inflation. The Leicester-based business said it intends to shutter 23 stores by the end of its financial year as part of a series of “self help measures” as it [...]
Capitolis UK Approved to Operate an Organized Trading Facility (OTF) by the FCA March 31, 2026 Approval unlocks more optimization opportunities and efficiencies for clients and network
Motor finance compensation to ‘to fire starting gun’ on banking M&A March 31, 2026 The financial watchdog’s long-awaited motor finance redress scheme is predicted to “fire the starting gun” on a wave of deals throughout the banking sector. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched the final rules for its redress programme on Monday, with the bill for lenders expected to come in at just north of £9bn, down from [...]
Lloyds and Close Brothers shares rally as banks ‘assess’ impact of motor finance redress March 31, 2026 Shares in UK motor finance lenders had a volatile opening this morning as markets digested the final rules of the financial watchdog’s industry-wide redress scheme. Lloyds Banking Group – the owner of the nation’s largest motor finance lender Black Horse – crept up over one per cent in early trading to tip over the 92p [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks inch up; Fuel shortage fears hit airlines; Unilever nears food deal March 31, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Oil prices are on track for its biggest monthly gain on record for March following the outbreak of war in Iran. It comes as the war in Iran continues to cause ripples through the market, with Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices [...]
Sanctioned Russian oligarch’s charity launches legal action against Barclays March 30, 2026 The Potanin Foundation, a UK charity of its Russian sister organisation, the Vladimir Potanin Foundation, has launched legal action against Barclays Bank in London via advisory firm Forvis Mazars. Founded in 2006 by the former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Vladimir Potanin, the organisation has focused on education, culture, and philanthropy. The charity was intervened [...]