Metro Bank trebles profit amid pivot to specialist lending August 6, 2025 Metro Bank more than trebled its profit in the first six months of the year as its transformation strategy gained pace. The high street lender recorded an underlying profit before tax of £45m, compared with £12.8m in the second half of 2024. Revenue grew 22 per cent to £286m whilst operating costs fell eight per [...]
Birmingham Phoenix tee up Castore as Hundred teams ditch New Balance August 6, 2025 Birmingham Phoenix have agreed a kit deal with Castore for next season, with The Hundred’s long-term apparel supplier, New Balance, increasingly being phased out by the franchises that are under new ownership. City AM revealed last week that London Spirit are also dropping New Balance after the current campaign, with their new co-owners, Cricket Investor [...]
Zempler Bank grows profit on the back of high interest rates August 6, 2025 Zempler Bank has recorded its third consecutive year of profitability after a cheering jump in customer deposits and a strong performance in interest income. The UK fintech – formerly known as Cashplus – recorded a 58 per cent leap in pre-tax profit to £5.2m for the year ending March 31 2025. It comes as deposits [...]
The Bank of England’s trouble-free decision to cut interest rates August 6, 2025 The Bank of England has long suffered from the accusation of groupthink. Reforms have been mooted – and some have been implemented – but it has struggled to shake off the charge. Economists at the Cato Institute and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) have, for example, pointed the blame at Threadneedle [...]
Oasis revival is a reminder that – on fiscal policy – you don’t just roll with it August 6, 2025 The 1990s were a turbulent time for Britain’s economy and Oasis’ anthems are a reminder of that time – and a warning about an uncertain future, says Tim Focas Oasis are back. Thirty years after their Britpop heyday, the Gallagher brothers are selling out stadiums once again. But their return isn’t just about nostalgia. Their [...]
Cut interest rates to four per cent, City AM Shadow MPC says August 5, 2025 Top economists have voted 8-1 for interest rates to be slashed by 25 basis points in City AM’s new Shadow Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Amid high inflation and falling job numbers, the Bank of England is set to face a difficult finely balanced decision on Thursday on whether to cut interest rates from the current [...]
FTSE 100 banks outperform but face tougher waters ahead August 4, 2025 The FTSE 100’s banking constituents breezed through the second quarter results season as interest income remained stable and trading income soared on the back of market volatility. The ‘Big Five’ banks of London’s flagship stock index – Barclays, HSBC, Natwest, Lloyds and Standard Chartered – pocketed a combined £12.8bn in the three months to June [...]
Bank of England to cut interest rates but faces dilemma on outlook August 4, 2025 The Bank of England is unlikely to signal faster interest rate cuts at this Thursday’s meeting, leading economists have said, leaving the future of monetary policy in the balance. Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members are widely expected to agree to cut interest rates by 25 basis points to four per cent. But City analysts have [...]
Borrowing costs set to ease further as Bank contends with weaker jobs market August 3, 2025 Borrowing costs are set to ease further as the Bank of England contends with stagnant growth and rising unemployment, experts have predicted. Most economists think the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to 4% on Thursday. It could release pressure for some mortgage holders amid hopes that cheaper [...]
Relief for banks after lukewarm motor finance win August 1, 2025 Lenders across the City are breathing a sigh of relief after today's landmark Supreme Court ruling, which upheld the appeals of two banks in the high-profile motor finance commission case.