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 [...]
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 [...]
Labour urged to come clean on exit tax August 5, 2025 Labour ministers have been urged to clarify whether the government will introduce an exit tax as Tax Policy Associates chief Dan Neidle warned rumours could be “damaging” for the UK economy. Chancellor Rachel Reeves looks poised to raise more than £20bn in taxes later this year amid a shortfall in the fiscal headroom left by [...]
Professional landlords to replace ‘hobbyist’ investors August 5, 2025 The much-publicised decline of the small-scale private landlord is leaving huge scope for professional lenders to take their place, in a ‘net positive’ for the market, according to property experts. Private landlords are being squeezed from all directions: A combination of lower tax relief, higher mortgages and tighter regulation has continuously pushed yields down. Amateur [...]
Brisbane Olympic stadium build threatened by burial ground claims August 5, 2025 An indigenous group has launched a legal appeal to block the construction of the main Brisbane 2032 Olympic Stadium due to fears the site could contain “ancestral remains”. The Queensland government in March announced it would build a 63,000-seater stadium in Victoria Park to be the centrepiece of the Games. The Yagara Magandjin Aboriginal Corporation [...]
Spectris bidding war intensifies as KKR submits fresh offer August 5, 2025 The private equity bidding war for precision instrument business Spectris has stepped up a gear after New York-based KKR stepped in with a fresh offer that values the business at £4.8bn. The offer of 4,175p per Spectris share outflanks a fresh offer made by Boston-based Advent of 4,100p per share on Friday, and represents a [...]
Gianni Infantino, Jay Shah and the rise of sport’s super-execs August 5, 2025 Infantino at Fifa and Shah at the ICC are styling themselves as super-execs like Musk and Zuckerberg but it won’t end well, warns Matt Readman. In sport, the best referees go unnoticed. They quietly manage the game, letting play flow and leaving the athletes to shine. Occasionally they must enforce the law, but they are [...]
How young freemen are reinvigorating City traditions August 5, 2025 The City Guilds have medieval origins, but they — and their young members — are as relevant as ever, says Rafael Steinmetz Leffa As London’s financial and professional sectors evolve, so must its civic structures. The Guild of Young Freemen, now approaching its 50th anniversary, has repositioned itself as a key entry point for young [...]
Advisory giant Teneo valued at £1.7bn in fresh deal August 4, 2025 Advisory firm Teneo has received fresh backing from a top Liechtensteiner buyout firm valuing it at $2.3bn (£1.73bn), in a deal that suggests the malaise afflicting the world’s largest holding companies and consultancies is not extending to more specialist or diversified firms. LGT Capital Partners is backed by Liechtenstein’s royal family and has over $100bn [...]
The FTSE may be setting record highs, but that’s only half the race August 4, 2025 A new report reveals corporate reputation now drives £730bn of FTSE 350 value. So what does that mean for your business in 2025? Asks Sandra Macleod Last week, the FTSE 100 broke through the 9,000-point barrier for the first time in its history – an undeniable moment of market optimism. But beneath the headlines lies [...]