University tuition fee hike to prop up high inflation November 17, 2025 A rise in university tuition fees and volatile airfare prices are expected to prop up price growth as economists are pencilling in slightly lower inflation in October than in the previous month. Economists polled by Bloomberg said they expected consumer price index (CPI) inflation to reach 3.6 per cent in fresh data to be released [...]
Tech tailwinds boost Polar Capital as AI bubble balloons November 17, 2025 Asset manager Polar Capital reported a surge in earnings after the firm’s “meaningful exposure” to tech stocks provided a hefty tailwind. The London-listed business recorded a 21 per cent jump in pre-tax profit to £27.9m, this was up from £23.1m just last year. Whilst outflows soared to £690m, including a significant £632m concentrated in the [...]
Exclusive: Industry chiefs warn Reeves not to hit business after income tax U-turn November 14, 2025 The Chancellor must not rely on businesses to plug the gaping fiscal gap left by Thursday’s income tax U-turn, a group of industry body chiefs has warned a year after UK firms were forced to stomach much of the £40bn of tax hikes at Labour’s maiden Budget. In an unusual combined intervention, bosses from five [...]
UK bonds sell off after income tax U-turn November 14, 2025 UK government bonds sold off sharply on Friday morning, as markets recoiled from the government’s decision to row back on plans to plug much of its multibillion-pound black hole with a manifesto-busting income tax hike. The yield on 10-year gilts – the common benchmark for the government’s long-term ability to borrow – climbed by some [...]
Rachel Reeves panics markets by ditching plans for income tax hike November 14, 2025 Rachel Reeves is understood to have scrapped plans to break Labour’s manifesto and hike income tax in the forthcoming Autumn Budget. The Chancellor was poised to hike income tax by 2p whilst cutting national insurance by the same amount in a move that would break Labour’s pledge to not raise taxes on ‘working people.’ Over [...]
Smart strategies for managing currency volatility during budgeting November 13, 2025 Ongoing turbulence in foreign exchange markets – driven by fiscal policy, global tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty – continues to challenge UK business leaders as they set their 2026 budgets. Sharp shifts in currency markets can quickly derail even the most carefully planned budgets, and this year leaders are facing an exceptional period of instability. Volatility [...]
AI-powered regtech lands £2.1m to help banks dodge FCA fines November 13, 2025 An AI-powered regulation tech firm has landed £2.1m in funding to help banks avoid getting fines from the City watchdog. Adclear, which uses software to ensure lenders’ books are in order, has capped off a funding round which has included backing from Clearscore founder Dan Cobley and Coinbase’s UK managing director Keith Grose. With Adclear’s [...]
Leadership spat sends jitters through bond markets November 13, 2025 Jitters coursed through UK bond markets on Wednesday after a leadership crisis engulfing the Labour government triggered a jump in gilt yields, leading investors to warn that more political instability risked exacerbating the ‘moron premium’ applied to UK borrowing costs. Interest on 10-year gilts rose by three basis points, while the pound slumped to its lowest level [...]
Reeves and Starmer are now at the mercy of the markets November 13, 2025 A government elected on competence and stability may now gamble both to stave off internal revolt. For investors, the message is that British politics has not regained the calm that markets briefly hoped for, says Helen Thomas The markets once again have a starring role on the stage of political intrigue. Allies of the Prime [...]
Bond markets ignore Starmer briefings and Westminster gossip November 12, 2025 Bond markets shrugged at Keir Starmer’s team’s attacks against Cabinet ministers and Westminster gossip suggesting a leadership contest was emerging after investors were dragged into briefing wars. On Tuesday night, a briefing war erupted in Westminster as Keir Starmer’s allies told journalists that there would be a rout in the bond markets if the Prime [...]