Barclays takes shot at tax speculation as UK growth forecast cut April 28, 2026 Barclays has taken a shot at the wave of tax speculation surrounding the industry as the bank trimmed its growth output for the year ahead. Fears the banking sector might be targeted for a cash grab have gathered pace following the war in Iran, amid concerns over mounting cost pressures. The Middle East conflict is [...]
‘There’s a lot of risk out there’ – Bank of England warns of market ‘adjustment’ April 24, 2026 A top Bank of England official has warned that global markets could fall even further with current share prices not reflecting the economic risks at play. Sarah Breeden, the Bank’s deputy governor for financial stability, said: “There’s a lot of risk out there and yet asset prices are at all-time highs. “We expect there will [...]
KBRA Releases Research – UK Building Societies: Resilient Fundamentals as Macro Pressures Weigh on Outlook April 23, 2026 KBRA releases its latest research report evaluating the UK building society sector. We believe the overall creditworthiness of the UK building society sector remains resilient despite ongoing macroeconomic pressures, housing affordability constraints, and elevated geopolitical uncertainty. While the housing market has stabilised following a period of elevated transaction activity, momentum is expected to soften due [...]
London house prices jump by £3k as market slows April 20, 2026 The average asking price of a home in Britain rose by nearly £3,000 in April, but London’s property market is showing clear signs of strain as higher mortgage rates and a surge in supply curb momentum. New figures from Rightmove show asking prices increased by 0.8 per cent month on month to £373,971, a £2,929 [...]
Housebuilding stocks recover as industry reaches ‘rock bottom’ April 15, 2026 The UK’s biggest housebuilder kept to the well-rehearsed tone of gloom which has loomed over the sector in recent months, when it became the latest to pull back on spending amid the market uncertainty caused by the Iran war. FTSE 100 firm Barratt Redrow said its financial targets hold firm, but warned that the blockage [...]
Middle East expats rush back to London, luxury property rents spike April 10, 2026 An influx of people who have recently moved to the Middle East are now seeking short-term refuge in London, pushing up rents in the capital’s luxury property market – according to a leading estate agency. British, European and North American nationals have rushed to snap up short-term rentals in high-value London properties since the Iran [...]
Energy bills threat recedes but retail and hospitality remain on brink April 8, 2026 Retail and hospitality leaders are optimistic that the Iran-US ceasefire could spare them from the worst energy bill shocks, but are urging the government to address an array of other cost pressures. British businesses had warned that the soaring energy prices caused by the war in the Middle East could be devastating if the conflict [...]
Barclays reverses branch cuts as bank managers return to high street April 4, 2026 Barclays is planning to expand its high street presence and revive the “bank manager” role after years of rapid branch closures. The bank’s UK chief executive Vim Maru told the Times on Saturday that Barclays would increase its branch network beyond its current 206 sites, having already paused a programme that saw it shut around [...]
Bank of England: UK economy risks ‘large and overlapping’ shocks April 1, 2026 The Bank of England has issued a major warning that the financial system is facing increasing risks of “large, frequent and potentially overlapping shocks” amid the volatility from the Middle East war‘ and ongoing market risks’s impact on energy and global markets. In the latest meeting of the central bank’s Financial Policy Committee top officials [...]
House prices pick up but property outlook remains ‘clouded’ March 31, 2026 House prices picked up in March as the property market gained traction after a slow start to the year, though experts warn the Iran war could “cloud” this momentum. The UK’s house prices rose by 2.2 per cent year on year in March, up from one per cent growth in the year to February, as [...]