Ageas to acquire part of Saga’s insurance business in 20-year deal December 16, 2024 Saga, the financial services and travel provider for over-50s, has begun a 20-year partnership for motor and home insurance with Belgian insurance giant Ageas. Ageas’ UK arm will take over Saga’s price-comparison website, pricing, claims and customer service activities, while Saga will hold onto brand and direct marketing. Under the terms of the deal, Saga [...]
Bank of England set to hold interest rates after inflation jump December 16, 2024 The Bank of England is poised to leave interest rates on hold this week after inflation rose more than expected.
Canal+ IPO offers hope for troubled London Stock Exchange December 16, 2024 French media giant Canal+ will list on the London Stock Exchange this morning in an early Christmas present for a bourse battered by a string of exits this year.
‘Incredibly sad’: Dame Sarah Storey opens up on Team GB star’s bankruptcy December 15, 2024 Sir Bradley Wiggins’ fall from trailblazing cycling hero to bankruptcy is a sad reminder of the financial struggles that many athletes face, says Dame Sarah Storey. Wiggins was declared bankrupt this year, little more than a decade after he became a household name by winning the Tour de France and a gold medal at the [...]
‘Milestone’: UK first European country to join CPTPP trade bloc December 15, 2024 The UK has become the first European nation to join the CPTPP trade bloc after its membership formally took effect. Britain’s participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) came into force on Sunday, December 15. The major Indo-Pacific trade partnership comprises member states Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, [...]
Water bills set to rise by a fifth as government calls for ‘complete reset’ of sector December 15, 2024 Water bills are set to rise by at least 21 per cent as the government slams a "failure of regulation and governance" within the sector.
A requiem for UK equity capital markets December 14, 2024 London’s storied status as a global financial powerhouse is slipping away, and with every IPO that doesn’t materialise or company that decamps to the US, it becomes clearer that the City is in its death throes, says Owen Matthews As a former mid-cap ECM investment banker, I’ve watched with despair as the lights dim on [...]
UK economy on ‘recession watch’ after unexpected contraction December 13, 2024 The UK economy shrank unexpectedly in October after a fall in production output and stagnation in the services sector ahead of the Budget. GDP fell 0.1 per cent during the month, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed. Economists had expected a return to modest growth of 0.1 per cent. It marks two [...]
Lloyd’s of London insurer Canopius favours IPO in private equity exit December 12, 2024 The private equity owners of Canopius plan to list the Lloyd’s of London insurer on the UK stock market next year, City AM has learned. A consortium led by US investor Centerbridge Partners is leaning towards an IPO rather than sale as part of its review into exit options for Canopius, according to a person [...]
Currys reports £32m Budget tax hit December 12, 2024 Consumer electronics retailer Currys has become the latest company to warn about the impact of Labour’s tax raid on its bottom line. In its half-year results for the six months to 26 October 2024, published this morning, management said the estimated cost of recent tax policy changes could amount to as much as £32m. The [...]