Buy-now see-you-later? FCA boss slams claims BNPL firms will quit UK due to regulation July 19, 2023 The chief of the City watchdog said he does not “buy the argument” that buy-now pay-later (BNPL) firms will quit the UK today after it emerged ministers may shelve planned rules over fears firms would leave. The government had been pushing ahead with plans to bring BNPL products offered by firms like Klarna and Clearpay [...]
Insurance chiefs back new Solvency II investment forum to help deliver £100bn in investment July 19, 2023 The heads of the UK’s major insurance firms have written in support of a new Investment Delivery Forum to help drive investment following the reforms to Solvency II. Established by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) earlier in July, the forum is designed to tackle the investment gap preventing investment from the insurance and long-term [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown shares soar as firm secures new clients amid leadership speculation July 19, 2023 Investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown recorded a six per cent increase in net new business over the past three months as clients sought to lock in deals at the end of the tax year. In the three months to June, the Bristol-based DIY investing outfit saw £1.7bn of net new business, despite the market more broadly [...]
GAM takeover battle erupts after Xavier Niel-backed group launches rival bid to Liontrust July 18, 2023 A takeover battle has erupted over ailing Swiss fund manager GAM today as a consortium backed by telecoms mogul Xavier Niel launched a counter bid to London-listed Liontrust.
FCA under fire over greenwashing regulation delays July 18, 2023 The City watchdog has come under fire from a top industry group today after it announced it would delay a key set of guardrails for ‘environmental, social and governance’ investment products.
Hargreaves Lansdown chair set to step down after run-ins with founder July 18, 2023 The chair of retail investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown is set to step down after a bruising series of run-ins with the firm’s founder. In a statement yesterday, the Bristol-based DIY investing outfit said last night that it had begun scouting out “successor chair candidates” for Deanna Oppenheimer, who has overseen the firm since 2018. News [...]
Smart Pension snaps up £750m peer as government calls for consolidation grow July 17, 2023 Top workplace pension firm Smart Pension has snapped up a peer with some £750m under management as pressure from the government grows for faster consolidation in the sector.
FCA set for clampdown on ‘wild west’ of social media ‘finfluencers’ July 17, 2023 The FCA is set to target 'finfluencers' and firms flogging financial products online with illegal or misleading adverts.
National Audit Office launches probe into FCA as regulator sizes up crypto and AI July 17, 2023 The National Audit Office (NAO) has launched a probe into the functions of the City regulator as its remit swells to take on oversight of technologies like cryptoassets and artificial intelligence.
Gresham House to be taken private in £470m deal with US-based Searchlight Capital July 17, 2023 Gresham House will become the latest UK-listed firm to be taken private after agreeing a £470m deal with US-based private equity company Searchlight Capital. Shareholders in the AIM-listed fund manager, which invests in assets such as forestry and solar farms, will receive 1,105p per share, a premium of 63 per cent to its closing price [...]
