Allianz investment boss: US in ‘sentiment recession’ May 15, 2025 The US is currently going through a “sentiment recession,” as economic indicators fail to match the increasingly sour outlook from American consumers and businesses, a boss at Allianz’s investment arm has argued. Hard economic data in the country has so far managed to hold up despite significant uncertainty, as companies frontloaded buying inventory in advance [...]
CMA handed ‘strategic steer’ as government pushes pro-growth agenda May 15, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog has been handed a “strategic steer” from Downing Street as the government pushes regulators to adopt its pro-growth agenda. The strategic steer, which is issued to regulators each parliament, sets out the government’s priorities for regulators and how they engage with the private sector. According to the Treasury, the steer “resets [...]
Aviva: Direct Line buyout ‘firmly on track’ despite CMA investigation May 15, 2025 Aviva expects its £3.7bn acquisition of Direct Line to be completed by the middle of this year despite a new investigation by the competition watchdog into the deal. In a trading update, the insurance giant’s CEO, Amanda Blanc, said the acquisition was “firmly on track,” and cash to pay for the takeover had been ring-fenced. Yesterday, the Competition [...]
How the big four banks are proving private capital can drive social change May 15, 2025 Better Society Capital has unlocked £4bn in social investment over 12 years, proving how public-private collaboration can tackle the UK’s most complex challenges – from housing to healthcare. Here’s why it’s time for more investors to step up, says James Chew In 2011, the UK’s four largest banks – Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and NatWest – [...]
The Capitalist: This isn’t just blackmail, it’s M&S blackmail May 15, 2025 Embarrassing Ed Miliband, dream dinner party guests and window taxes, catch up with the latest gossip from the Square Mile M&S is clearly playing by the book in its response to the crippling cyber attack launched on its systems over Easter, with talk of a £100m insurance claim to help them get over the losses. [...]
Direct Line suffers shareholder revolt over CEO’s huge pay day May 14, 2025 The group behind Direct Line has suffered a huge revolt by its shareholders over its chief executive being handed a huge pay day ahead of its planned £3.7bn takeover by Aviva. In March, City AM reported that Adam Winslow took home a pay packet of more than £7.8m for the insurance giant’s latest financial year. [...]
Starmer: Unemployment jump not caused by my government May 14, 2025 The Prime Minister has denied the 10 per cent rise in unemployment since last year’s election is the fault of his government, arguing that the recently struck trade deals with India and the United States will boost jobs and the UK economy. During a fiery exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions, Keir Starmer accused Kemi Badenoch [...]
Trade deals set to boost Indian equities say analysts May 14, 2025 A fragile ceasefire with Pakistan and trade deal with the UK has left analysts hopeful for a stock market surge in India, as the government seeks to take a bite of China’s electronic manufacturing industry. On Monday following the peace deal, India’s ‘Nifty 50’ blue chip stocks recorded their best day in four years, and [...]
M&S to make £100m cyber claim from Allianz and Beazley May 14, 2025 Marks and Spencer is preparing to claim as much as £100m from its cyber insurance policy, following a major cyber attack that disrupted operations and led to the theft of some customer data. The UK retailer admitted for the first time on Tuesday that personal information, including customer contact details, dates of birth, and online [...]
CMA to investigate Aviva’s £3.7bn Direct Line deal May 14, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog has begun an investigation into insurance giant Aviva’s proposed £3.7bn acquisition of Direct Line. The Competition and Markets Authority said it had commenced its phase one inquiry to establish whether the deal would result in a “realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition.” The CMA has invited comment on the [...]