‘Government can change’ UK economic stagnation, CBI urges December 5, 2022 The UK risks another “lost decade of growth” unless the government takes action to strengthen companies’ confidence in the economy, the country’s top business group warned today. Rishi Sunak must create an environment that incentivises business investment to avoid prolonging the UK’s growth malaise since the financial crisis, according to the Confederation of British Industry [...]
Tax Tribunal backlog soars following HMRC crackdown on fraudulent umbrella companies December 4, 2022 The backlog of cases waiting to be heard in the UK’s tax tribunal has surged following an HMRC crackdown on fraudulent “umbrella companies”. The number of cases waiting to be heard in the First-Tier Tax Tribunal has increased 84 per cent over the previous year to heights of 46,000, according to UK government figures. The [...]
Insurers are undervaluing policy holders’ cars, FCA warns December 4, 2022 The UK’s financial watchdog has warned insurers against undervaluing policyholders’ vehicles after seeing evidence of customers being offered payouts less than their cars are worth. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it had seen evidence of customers who have had their cars written off being offered less money than their vehicle’s fair market price. It [...]
HSBC has ‘moved on’ from exploring Asian business sell off, chief Quinn says December 1, 2022 The HSBC board has “moved on” from exploring selling its Asian business in a move that would have kowtowed to its largest shareholder, the bank’s chief executive said today. Speaking at the Financial Times’s banking summit, Noel Quinn doubled down on his conviction that HSBC should continue to operate as a global bank. Investors “want [...]
A question of financial inclusion December 1, 2022 Lord Holmes asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to increase financial inclusion in England.
Natural catastrophes to cost insurers more than $100bn for the second year in a row December 1, 2022 The global insurance sectors’ losses from natural catastrophes are set to surpass sums of $100bn (£81.5bn) for the second year in a row, new data from Swiss Re shows. Natural catastrophes will cost insurers an estimated $115bn this year, after Hurricane Ian and a series of “secondary perils” caused $260bn worth of damage in 2022, [...]
FTX, LUNA, Celsius, et al – a post-mortem November 30, 2022 Dr Chris Kacher checks the health report of some deeply troubled crypto platforms as he lauds the inevitability of the metaverse.
FTSE 100 lifted by investors cheering HSBC Canada arm sale November 29, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 was boosted today by investors pouring into HSBC after it confirmed it has ditched its Canadian business for £8.4bn. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.51 per cent to 7,512 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, fell 0.55 per cent [...]
HSBC shares top FTSE 100 after it offloads Canada business to RBC for £8.4bn November 29, 2022 BRITAIN’S biggest bank HSBC has sold its Canadian business to Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) for $10.1bn (£8.4bn) in a move that may save some face with disgruntled Asian investors demanding the firm be broken up. The Canary Wharf headquartered lender said today it plans to redistribute a chunk of the $5.7bn (£4.7bn) profit it [...]
Open banking should be a blueprint to create more competition across sectors November 29, 2022 When Transport for London opened up their data, it enabled the creation of Citymapper.