Silver prices hit record high amid dwindling demand April 15, 2026 Silver hit multiple record breaking highs last year, but soaring investor appetite ultimately offset demand for the metal from jewellers and industry. Silver rode the coattails of fellow precious metal gold which was coveted for its ‘safe haven’ status, and has extended its rally into 2026. The asset has surged 140.9 per cent over the [...]
Standard Life snaps up Aegon UK for £2bn to create savings giant April 15, 2026 Standard Life has snapped up the UK’s largest investment platform Aegon UK in a £2bn deal. The FTSE 100 giant – previously known as Phoenix Group – said the deal would create the UK’s top retirement savings and income business with near 16m customers and £480bn in assets under administration. Standard Life expects an annual [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks jittery as Trump eyes Iran ‘grand bargain’; Reeves to meet Bessent April 15, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Hopes of peace talks in the Middle East were back on the table this morning, though markets weren’t holding there breathe after weeks of bait-and-switches. Donald Trump described the war with Iran as “close to over” during an interview with Fox news. “I think it’s [...]
Why Nationwide’s £7m boss was worth splashing the cash for April 15, 2026 Nationwide splashed the cash on it’s top boss, Debbie Crosbie, in this week’s column Samuel Norman asks if they got their monies worth. Nationwide has been proclaimed Britain’s best bank. The UK’s largest building society – which is, in fact, not a bank due its status as a mutual – has been handed the crown [...]
IMF: Middle East war risks sparking government debt doom loop April 14, 2026 Ballooning levels of government debt have left the global economy dangerously exposed to the aftereffects of the Middle East war, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which warned a fresh wave of inflation could trigger a historic bond crisis. In its latest Financial Stability Report, the financial body said that countries’ inability to rein [...]
Barclays and Deutsche most at risk to private credit ‘profit blow’ April 14, 2026 Fears that private credit could spell trouble for the global financial system have been further amplified following a new report that forecasts losses associated with the sector could slash profits at top European banks. Banking giants Deutsche and Barclays rank among “most exposed” banks to a private credit reckoning due to their north of three [...]
Wall Street bankers’ bonuses leapfrog City in ‘less impressive’ year April 14, 2026 Wall Street bankers have leapfrogged ahead of the City as the industry’s swelling bonus pot proved “far less impressive” than prior expectations. In the US, the average bonus scored was $154,344 (£114,00) in 2025, marking a 5.85 per cent uplift from the year prior. This also topped the industry average growth of 4.4 per cent. [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks uneven as Trump’s Strait of Hormuz blockade begins April 14, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Markets were rocked yesterday by the US’ blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, adding a new layer of tensions to the weeks-long conflict in the Middle East. Vice-President JD Vance has accused the Iranian government of engaging in an “act of economic terrorism” through its [...]
MHA chief: Private equity rivals are struggling — ‘we’re really well positioned’ April 14, 2026 Wednesday marks one year since the UK and Ireland’s arm of Baker Tilly International, MHA, rang the bell at the London Stock Exchange. The advisory group didn’t pick an ideal time to list. Though it seems like a lifetime ago, the markets were also riddled with uncertainty. Weeks before MHA went public, Trump had his [...]
Ex-Royal Mint executives launch new gold trading platform April 14, 2026 Two former Royal Mint executives have launched a new gold trading platform in a bid to shake up the market and widen retail access to precious metals. The trading platform, dubbed Goldwise, was launched on Tuesday, creating a new way for savers and investors to purchase gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Unlike traditional trading, users [...]