Foreign buyers circle ‘undervalued’ UK firms Markets Foreign buyers continued to circle “undervalued” UK firms in the final quarter of last year, new figures show, with the value of inward Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) surging to its highest level in four years. The total value of deals in which foreign companies acquired UK firms rocketed to £27.4bn in the final quarter of [...]
Profit slides as Beazley eyes Bermuda amid Zurich £8bn takeover Insurance One of the UK’s biggest listed insurance firms suffered a slide in profit as the company prepares to be acquired by Swiss giant Zurich. FTSE 100 insurer Beazley posted pre-tax profit of $1.14bn (£870m) for the year to end December 2025, a fall of around a fifth compared to the previous year amid a softening [...]
Britain’s tech sector ‘massively punches above its weight’ Tech The UK’s tech sector continues to generate capital, attract global investment and talent, yet the domestic narrative often points to a country in retreat. “We have a huge narrative issue”, Russ Shaw, founder of Global Tech Advocates and London Tech Advocates, told City AM. “We’re the third largest tech ecosystem in the world. We have [...]
Rightmove boss talks down ChatGPT threat and defends AI investment February 27, 2026 Property giant Rightmove sought to walk a tightrope when it launched its financial results on Friday, as its execs stood by the firm’s divisive AI plans while distancing themselves from silicon valley giant OpenAI. Friday’s results offered an opportunity to calm the shareholders who wiped £1bn off the firm’s value when it announced its AI [...]
OpenAI backs London with hub expansion and new roles February 26, 2026 OpenAI is to make London its largest research hub outside the United States, in what ministers have hailed as a “huge vote of confidence” in the UK’s AI sector. The ChatGPT developer confirmed it will significantly expand its London operation, which currently employs around 30 researchers, though it declined to put a figure on how [...]
St James’s Place offers up rewards of its turnaround to shareholders February 25, 2026 St James’s Place roused shareholder spirits on Wednesday as the leading UK wealth manager reported funds under management hitting record highs coupled with rising payouts. Funds under management jumped 16 per cent to £220bn, up from £190.2bn the prior year. Gross inflows reached £21.9bn, a 19 per cent increase from £18.4bn, while net inflows increased [...]
St James’s Places shares jump as firm reports record funds under management February 25, 2026 St James’s Place saw funds under management reach record highs in its latest results, as more people choose to plough money into the UK’s leading wealth manager. Funds under management jumped 16 per cent to a record £220bn, up from £190.2bn the prior year, as the group attracted new clients and kept retention rates high. [...]
UK tech faces hiring crunch despite AI visa push February 23, 2026 Applications from overseas tech workers wanting to move to the UK have dropped significantly, adding to concerns over talent shortages in one of the economy’s faster growing sectors. New data by accountancy firm RSM UK found the number of international workers applying for a UK visa to work in tech dropped 11 per cent from [...]
Zurich to acquire Beazley in landmark £8bn specialty insurance merger February 4, 2026 Following two previous rejections last month, Lloyd’s of London underwriter Beazley has confirmed in a joint statement on Wednesday morning that it has reached an agreement in principle with Zurich. The offer proposed by Zurich has a total value of 1,335 pence per share. This is composed of a 1,310p cash payment from Zurich and [...]
Employment falls despite manufacturing output hitting new high February 2, 2026 Employment across the manufacturing sector dropped despite output jumping to its highest level in 17 months, new data has shown. Manufacturers continued shedding staff due to high pay and tax pressures, according to S&P Global’s latest purchasing managers index (PMI). The poor reading for the labour market came in direct conflict with more positive results [...]