Blair think tank turns fire on Labour over wage hikes and tax squeeze March 1, 2026 Tony Blair’s think tank has published a critique of Labour’s economic strategy, warning that higher minimum wages, rising employers’ National Insurance and tougher workers’ rights risk choking off growth and pricing young people out of jobs. In a striking intervention from the former Labour prime minister’s own policy institute, the report deems the government’s labour [...]
Top Barclays executive to take the helm at UK banking watchdog February 27, 2026 A senior Barclays executive and former Treasury official has been appointed as the chief supervisor for British banks and insurers, reinforcing the government’s drive to ease regulations brought in after the 2008 financial crisis. Katharine Braddick, head of strategic policy at Barclays and senior adviser to the chief executive, will succeed Sam Woods as the [...]
Universal handed £6m of taxpayer cash to film Hamnet despite raking in profits of £810m February 27, 2026 American filmmaking giant Universal was handed a £5.7 million government subsidy to make period drama Hamnet even though the studio generated £810 million in profit last year. The blockbuster’s cost to taxpayers is revealed in filings for the film which won the coveted honour of Outstanding British Film at the Baftas on Sunday. The heartbreaking [...]
Everest Group Announces Dividend February 26, 2026 Everest Group, Ltd. announced that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of $2.00 per common share. This dividend will be payable on or before March 27, 2026 to all shareholders of record as of March 13, 2026. About Everest Everest Group, Ltd. (Everest) is a global underwriting leader providing best-in-class property, casualty, and specialty [...]
How HSBC and Standard Chartered are riding high on Asia’s wealth February 26, 2026 London’s banking giants are circling the UK’s wealth management pie. But two other top lenders could be carving out a feast 6,000 miles away. HSBC and Standard Chartered posted hefty bumps to their wealth divisions, driven by a strategic focus on Asia and the Middle East. In financial results shared on Wednesday, HSBC revealed bank-wide [...]
Allianz Achieves Record Operating Profit of 17.4 Billion Euros – Excellent Start to New Strategic Cycle February 26, 2026 12M 2025 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260225107874/en/ Excellent momentum and record operating profit Total business volume rises 8.11 percent and reaches 186.9 billion euros with contributions from all segments Operating profit increases 8.4 percent to 17.4 billion euros, our highest operating profit ever Shareholders’ core net income advances 10.9 [...]
On this day: The collapse of Barings Bank February 26, 2026 On 26 February 1995, 31 years ago today, Baring Bank, one of the City’s most venerable institutions, was declared insolvent after a massive fraud by one of its employees, Nick Leeson, recalls Eliot Wilson In the 1990s, following the wake of Big Bang and the influx of brash but wealthy, “Greed is good, greed is [...]
Service sector profits continue long decline February 26, 2026 Profitability in the UK’s service sector declined for the seventeenth consecutive rolling quarter, according to new data, with businesses reporting few signs of improvement on the horizon. The Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) latest survey on the service sector showed that rising costs put businesses’ bottom line under pressure. A weighted balance of -28 per [...]
IGI Declares Extraordinary Cash Dividend February 25, 2026 International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. (“IGI” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: IGIC) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared an extraordinary cash dividend of $1.15 per common share. The extraordinary dividend is payable on April 6, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 18, 2026. About IGI: IGI is [...]
Microsoft hops on Lizzie line in search for new London HQ February 25, 2026 Microsoft has hopped on the Elizabeth Line in its search for a new London headquarters, with the US tech giant eyeing up Paddington and Canary Wharf as potential homes. The tech firm needs upwards of 200,000 sq ft from its new office and is seeking advice from CBRE, according to the Financial Times. Office space [...]