London vs New York: Who will win the fintech IPO war? May 24, 2025 A battle with New York awaits as Rachel Reeves sets her eyes on London fintech IPOs. The Chancellor has courted top fintech darlings in her attempt to boost listings on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) as a fleet of firms are flirting with floating in the near future. Monzo is reportedly consulting with investment bankers on [...]
Motor finance: Is Close Brothers heading for a car crash? May 22, 2025 Costs are mounting, loan books are shrinking, an existential motor finance ruling looms – is Close Brothers heading for disaster? It’s been a bruising 12 months for the lender, with its stock down over 25 per cent. Recent rallies have helped it claw back gains of over 65 per cent in the last six months [...]
Close Brothers shares drop as costs rise from motor finance threat May 21, 2025 Close Brothers said fees and expenses were still at an “elevated level” in a third-quarter update on Wednesday as motor finance troubles continued. The group’s net expenses hit £13.9m for the period, compared to £11.6m for the third-quarter in 2024. The lender said it continued to experience heightened “professional fees and expenses” following the Financial [...]
Firms must be at heart of red tape overhaul, CBI boss says May 21, 2025 The government’s efforts to slash red tape and regulation in a bid to boost growth are doomed to fail if they do not consult the very firms that “live and breathe” the UK’s regulatory barriers, according to the boss of Britain’s largest lobby group. In a speech at Singer Capital Markets, Rupert Soames, president of [...]
What’s wrong with the UK ticketing industry? May 20, 2025 It took just minutes for Oasis tickets to disappear. But, in the rush to secure a seat for one of Britain’s most anticipated reunion tours, thousands of fans were left empty handed, frustrated, and in too many cases – swindled. The chaos that followed didn’t just expose demand for a beloved band, but revealed the [...]
Pragmatism or surrender? Starmer’s EU deal explained. May 19, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared that “Britain is back on the world stage” as an agreement on the post-Brexit “reset” of relations with the EU was unveiled at a summit in London. There are provisions for key areas like food standards, energy, youth mobility, security, and steel with ministers claiming that the new deals [...]
KKR lashes out against PHP in Assura bidding war May 19, 2025 Private equity giant KKR has lashed out against rival PHP in its bidding war for GP landlord Assura, arguing that a takeover by its competitor would risk scrutiny from the regulator. In a stock exchange notice this morning, KKR argued that its offer for Assura was “superior” as opposed to the PHP offer which comes [...]
Sofas and season tickets: Inside the world of retail finance May 16, 2025 Retailing financing is on the up and as big banks steer away from the market, specialist lenders are cashing in. Fresh research from the finance and leasing association (FLA) showed consumer finance grew by 13 per cent in March 2025, compared to the year prior. The first quarter of 2025 saw a six per cent [...]
CMA handed ‘strategic steer’ as government pushes pro-growth agenda May 15, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog has been handed a “strategic steer” from Downing Street as the government pushes regulators to adopt its pro-growth agenda. The strategic steer, which is issued to regulators each parliament, sets out the government’s priorities for regulators and how they engage with the private sector. According to the Treasury, the steer “resets [...]
Aviva: Direct Line buyout ‘firmly on track’ despite CMA investigation May 15, 2025 Aviva expects its £3.7bn acquisition of Direct Line to be completed by the middle of this year despite a new investigation by the competition watchdog into the deal. In a trading update, the insurance giant’s CEO, Amanda Blanc, said the acquisition was “firmly on track,” and cash to pay for the takeover had been ring-fenced. Yesterday, the Competition [...]