First-time buyer demand for furniture and the ‘lipstick effect’ boost June sales July 15, 2025 Demand for furniture and beauty goods caused retail sales to rise in June, boosted by good weather and slowly-recovering consumer confidence. Sales in the UK rose 3.1 per cent year on year in June, against a decline of 0.2 per cent in June 2024, according to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). “Retailers will [...]
Mortgage brokers on chopping block as AI overhaul gains pace July 14, 2025 Mortgage brokers could be the latest roles to be swallowed up by the spread of AI as homebuyers deploy modern tech in the space of cumbersome traditional homebuying services. AI has taken a dominant role for buyers with over a third using the tech to explore their options. Early adopters cited AI as streamlining product [...]
AI disrupts UK hiring for tech and entry level roles July 14, 2025 UK employers are significantly scaling back hiring roles at risk of being disrupted by artificial intelligence (AI), adding signs of a broader labour market slowdown. New data from McKinsey & Co revealed that online job postings fell 31 per cent in the three months to May, compared with the same period in 2022. Yet the [...]
Rachel Reeves urged to make ‘bold choices’ at Mansion House speech as growth stalls July 14, 2025 Financial services are looking to Rachel Reeves’ Mansion House speech and the launch of her new growth strategy for the sector as a pivotal turning point. The industry has been courted by the Chancellor in hopes of feeding ideas into the Treasury’s inaugural Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy. Now, firms look to be banking [...]
London hiring plunges as Rachel Reeves’ tax grab weighs July 14, 2025 London hiring has suffered a steep drop as rising costs weigh on employers following Rachel Reeves’ tax grab. Permanent staff places in the capital – hires with no fixed end date – fell at the sharpest rate in 22 months in June. Meanwhile, temporary bills, which track the total income recruitment agencies earn from placing [...]
Rachel Reeves risks ‘serious damage’ with tax hikes, OBR member warns July 11, 2025 Fears of another Rachel Reeves’ tax raid are growing after fresh figures revealed the economy shrank in May, but a member of the OBR has warned the Chancellor against drastic measures, including tax hikes. The Chancellor is facing renewed pressure, with economists warning that the government’s £190bn spending splurge, sporadic U-turns, and poor growth figures are set [...]
UK’s financial services stronghold slips July 10, 2025 The UK’s position as a financial services leader has cracked as under-investment and staff reductions weigh on the sector. Nearly half of senior financial professionals believe the UK’s dominance is waning, research from the CRIF found. Over 40 per cent said they would no longer consider the country a global leader in the industry. Sara [...]
The Capitalist: Inside Tesco Clubcard’s 30th birthday rave July 10, 2025 Tesco opens a Soho nightclub, finance bros battle it out at The Lord Mayor's Cup, and a Lord's warm-up dinner; catch up on the latest gossip.
Fintech leads surge in London finance hiring July 10, 2025 Fintech helped lead roaring growth in London’s finance hiring for the second quarter of the year as demand for risk professionals surged amid a more moribund jobs market for traditional lenders. New financial services jobs vacancies rose three per cent quarter-on-quarter, according to Morgan McKinley’s London Employment Monitor while Greater London fintech hiring is expected [...]
Bank of England warns on market impact of Trump tariffs July 9, 2025 The Bank of England has warned the UK could be particularly affected by further shocks to markets as a result of being “an open economy with a large financial sector”. The Bank’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) warned that while bond markets had deteriorated, they could be in a worse position if President Trump followed through [...]