Is HSBC turning its back on Europe? May 20, 2025 When Georges Elhedery took the helm at HSBC, he wasted no time making his mark on the firm. Elhedery plotted a “simpler, more dynamic and agile organisation” in his sweeping restructure first announced in October 2024. One significant change introduced by the new bank chief was splitting the business into “eastern markets” covering the Asia-pacific [...]
Smiths Group: Shares jumps as demerger on track May 20, 2025 British engineering firm Smiths Group posted a boost to revenue in the third quarter as it progressed on demerger plans. The group’s revenue jumped 10.6 per cent on the back of “strong performance and momentum in the order book”. Shares in the group rose over two per cent to 2,100p during early trading on Tuesday. [...]
SSP: Upper Crust owner’s shares surge after profit soars May 20, 2025 Owner of Upper Crust bakery chain SSP Group grew across a number of business lines in its half-year report as revenue soared, despite some headwinds in Europe. The FTSE 250 firm recorded £45m in operating profit – up 20 per cent growth from the first six months of 2024. Shares soared nearly four per cent [...]
Greggs gains momentum after lacklustre start to the year May 20, 2025 Greggs has reported an uptick in sales boosted by its expanded food and drink offering. Its share price rose six per cent as investors cheered the return to strong trading. The FTSE 250 company reported a 2.9 per cent increase in sales in the 20 weeks to May 17, an improvement from 1.7 per cent [...]
What’s wrong with the UK ticketing industry? May 20, 2025 It took just minutes for Oasis tickets to disappear. But, in the rush to secure a seat for one of Britain’s most anticipated reunion tours, thousands of fans were left empty handed, frustrated, and in too many cases – swindled. The chaos that followed didn’t just expose demand for a beloved band, but revealed the [...]
Reeves must provide ‘more stable’ tax policy, finance bosses say May 20, 2025 Rachel Reeves is facing pressure to provide a “clearer, more stable tax environment,” when she delivers her growth strategy in July. The Chancellor is once again in the spotlight after a damning report from finance bosses indicated the industry was prepped to support growth ambitions, but structural barriers were holding them back. Top players in [...]
Inflation set to ramp up after ‘Awful April’ May 19, 2025 Inflation is expected to have risen above three per cent last month in data which will reflect the costly impacts of what has been dubbed ‘Awful April’ due to tax rises and bill hikes. A Bloomberg poll of economists has predicted inflation to come in at 3.3 per cent, a sharp spike from March when [...]
Greene King: Pub giant calls for ‘urgent help’ after losing £150m May 19, 2025 Pub giant Greene King has issued an urgent plea to the government for help after slumping to a near-£150m loss in 2024. The Suffolk-headquartered group fell to a pre-tax loss of £147.1m during its latest financial year, having posted a profit of £45.2m in 2023. Greene King, which operates around 2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, [...]
Microsoft is past its glory days says UK fund manager May 19, 2025 Liontrust’s global innovation fund team made a striking call that bucks the conventional wisdom of leading tech stocks by saying that Microsoft, one of the world’s most valuable firms, may no longer be a long-term winner. Storm Uru and Clare Pleydell-Bouverie, co-managers of Liontrust’s Innovation Fund, have told City AM they no longer hold any [...]
AI triggers biggest financial services skills crunch in 15 years May 19, 2025 The UK financial services sector is facing its most significant technology skills shortage in over 15 years, driven by the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. According to the latest Harvey Nash digital leadership report, AI has surged from the seventh to the most scarce technology skill in just 18 months – a 260 per cent [...]