Retail sales fall for eleventh consecutive month August 27, 2025 UK retail sales have continued their steady decline as price pressures weigh on already-stretched consumers, according to new data. The CBI’s monitor for annual retail sales was little changed at -32 in August, from -34 in July. “Weak demand and higher labour costs continue to put pressure on margins, dampening sentiment across the retail and [...]
Thousands of savers overcharged on pension withdrawals by HMRC August 26, 2025 Thousands of people have claimed a refund on emergency tax on pensions after the HM Revenues & Customs (HMRC) overcharged savers an eye watering amount on their withdrawals. In total, 6,000 people successfully claimed a refund in the 2023-2024 financial year, a 20 per cent increase from the year before, according to figures obtained by [...]
Younger Brits turn to AI for financial advice August 21, 2025 Brits are increasingly turning to AI tools to access financial tips as the “advice gap” grows wider. Two thirds of people are either considering or already using AI tools to gather personal finance advice, new research from financial comparison platform Finder has found. Two in five people opted to use generative AI, such as ChatGPT [...]
Blackrock encourages investors to increase exposure to hedge funds August 21, 2025 Institutional investors should increase their exposure to hedge funds in order to generate potentially higher returns, Blackrock has said. In the latest paper of the firm’s Investment Institute, strategists encouraged more money to be placed in hedge funds, as ongoing economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions erode returns on traditional investment assets, such as bonds and [...]
Moneybox’s wealth focus helps treble inflows to record high August 21, 2025 Moneybox secured its second consecutive year of profitability in 2024 after swathes of new customers poured billions into the firm. The investment platform‘s net inflows more than trebled to £5.8bn, from £1.7bn the year prior – a jump of over 241 per cent. Assets under management also more than doubled to £11.7bn as the fintech’s [...]
Crypto assets could be lost upon death regardless of wills, warns lawyer August 20, 2025 Crypto assets are not automatically accessible or even traceable through existing methods, it prompts calls for reform to Wills as millions of Brits risk losing assets upon death
Generation games: young people don’t see property as key to retirement August 20, 2025 Younger generations are taking a “more flexible approach” towards saving for retirement, amid concerns that traditional savings routes won’t be enough to rely on. The majority of younger generations see both pensions and property playing “key parts in their financial future”, according to the latest Standard Life retirement voice research, surveying 6,000 people. Over 50 [...]
FTSE 100 banks add £80bn in market value this year August 19, 2025 Shares in the UK’s top FTSE 100 banks, Barclays, Natwest, Lloyds and HSBC have all hit decade highs this year, producing more than £80bn in market value. The banking sector is the second-best performing FTSE 100 sector this year with a return of 37 per cent, second only to the defence sector. The FTSE 100’s [...]
London businesses optimistic for future economic growth, KPMG says August 18, 2025 The vast majority of private business owners in London have recorded rocketing optimism about their growth prospects, but concerns surrounding the impact of inflation remain, according to the latest KPMG private enterprise barometer survey. Following a challenging first financial half of the year, with businesses hit with tariff turmoil and ongoing geopolitical tensions, confidence in [...]
UK must change Bitcoin rules to catch up with Trump August 18, 2025 While Donald Trump pledges to make the US the “crypto capital of the world” the UK is slipping behind with outdated Bitcoin regulations.
