Financial M&A surges as banks and insurers hunt for scale January 8, 2025 A wave of banking and insurance tie-ups pushed the volume of UK financial services dealmaking to its highest level in more than a decade last year, new figures show. After a slowdown in 2023, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the UK’s financial services industry rebounded last year with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase [...]
Which stadium is the best in the Gallagher Premiership? December 26, 2024 There are 10 Gallagher Premiership teams fighting tooth and nail to lift the title this season. And a key part of reaching the semi-finals is home form and away form. But which stadium is the best in England and which comes up short? Well here is my ultimate ranking of the 10 Premiership grounds. 10 [...]
Direct Line agrees £3.7bn Aviva takeover December 23, 2024 Direct Line’s board has agreed to accept Aviva’s £3.7bn takeover of the insurer, bringing to an end the firm’s run as an independent company. In a stock exchange announcement this morning, Direct Line’s board endorsed Aviva’s latest £3.7bn offer for the business. Under the terms of the deal, shareholders will receive 0.2867 Aviva shares, along [...]
Clients of collapsed advice firm to have claims examined December 20, 2024 Claims from the collapsed advice firm Tenet will be investigated by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) at the start of next year. Earlier this year, the firm’s administrators said 9,645 clients were “considered as being at higher risk of having received unsuitable advice”. Tenet, which billed itself as the largest independent financial adviser network [...]
Leinster, Clermont, Tigers and Sharks to serve up Champions Cup delight December 13, 2024 Set an alarm for 5:30pm on Saturday, settle in, pour yourself a brew or glass of wine, put on the dual screens and enjoy what will be the standout matches of the second weekend of Investec Champions Cup action. Because Leicester – having been forced to rest a number of players for their huge clash [...]
Aviva set for £3.6bn Direct Line takeover December 6, 2024 Direct Line is set to agree to a £3.6bn takeover by its bigger rival Aviva, after the FTSE 100 firm returned with a sweetened bid for the company today. In a joint statement to the market this morning, the two firms said they had struck the outlines of a deal in which Aviva will pay [...]
Revolut adds ex-Lord Mayor and KPMG veteran to UK board ahead of bank launch December 6, 2024 Revolut has appointed a former Lord Mayor of London and Big Four veteran to its UK board as the fintech giant prepares to launch as a fully-fledged bank in its home market. The London-based banking company added Fiona Fry and Peter Estlin as non-executive directors while it works through the mobilisation period for its UK [...]
Tensions flair at Direct Line following Aviva takeover bid December 1, 2024 A battle is brewing over Direct Line about whether to accept any further takeover bids from Aviva, as its CEO seeks more time to turn the business around. Talking to the Sunday Times following the rejected £3.3bn bid from Aviva last week, Direct Line CEO Adam Winslow urged shareholders to back his turnaround plan over [...]
How Aviva and Ageas could go head-to-head in Direct Line bidding war November 29, 2024 The stage is set for a bidding war after Aviva threw Direct Line back into the takeover spotlight with a £3.3bn approach.
London Stock Exchange takeover bonanza tops £50bn November 29, 2024 This year's barrage of takeover bids for firms lsited on the London Stock Exchange has jumped to £52bn, igniting fears over the future of Britain's equity markets.