Markets will determine whether Reeves has any credibility left November 19, 2025 It’s a regrettable reality that a politician – or an entire government – can limp on for months or even years after losing credibility in the eyes of voters. In contrast, when markets think the credibility is gone the consequences can be much more immediate. Just ask Liz Truss. One week from today, the Chancellor’s [...]
Investors flee UK stocks as Budget jitters echo Liz Truss fiasco November 18, 2025 Fund managers are ditching UK stocks as the fastest pace since Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng panicked markets with the 2022 mini-budget. Global investors have dramatically reduced their risk to UK equities as the Labour government’s second Budget edges closer, where a hefty batch of tax rises are expected to be on the horizon. Rachel [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Miners sink blue-chip index; CMA crackdown November 18, 2025 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. We’re another day closer to the all-important Autumn Budget and the mood started on a sour note once more on Monday. The FTSE 100 struggled to slip out of the red ending the day on a loss of 0.24 per cent to 9,675.43p. Meanwhile, the [...]
Budget could hand economy £60bn if small businesses supported November 18, 2025 Small businesses could provide a £60bn injection to the UK economy if the Autumn Budget meets firm’s needs, fresh research has indicated. Fresh research from Barclays Business Prosperity Index showed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were playing it cautious ahead of the Budget, even more so than their larger corporate counterparts. Firms hit pause on [...]
Mixed shareholder reaction after huge £5.3bn FTSE 250 infrastructure merger November 17, 2025 Shareholders of two of the UK’s biggest infrastructure funds have had mixed reactions after the firms reached an agreement to merge in a blockbuster £5.3bn deal. FTSE 250-listed HICL Infrastructure and The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG) said they had signed heads of terms on the business combination, in a move that will see voluntary winding [...]
Tech tailwinds boost Polar Capital as AI bubble balloons November 17, 2025 Asset manager Polar Capital reported a surge in earnings after the firm’s “meaningful exposure” to tech stocks provided a hefty tailwind. The London-listed business recorded a 21 per cent jump in pre-tax profit to £27.9m, this was up from £23.1m just last year. Whilst outflows soared to £690m, including a significant £632m concentrated in the [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Budget and bubbles continue to set agenda November 17, 2025 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. We are now just over a week out from the Labour government’s second Budget and last week rogue Westminster briefings sent ripples through markets. After continuous weeks and media outings teasing a manifesto-breaking income tax hike, the government rowed back with several reports pointing to [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Income tax U-turn throws Budget into chaos November 14, 2025 Welcome back to the Morning Wire markets liveblog. Government fiascos are the story of the week and each one is sending ripples across markets. Whilst earlier this week it was a Westminister briefing war with Downing Street appearing to turn on its own out of leadership threats, today it is the Treasury in the hot [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Economy grows 0.1 per cent; Rolls-Royce eyes profit jump November 13, 2025 Good morning from the Morning Wire liveblog team. The FTSE 100 is inching a step closer to the magic 10,000 mark after almost a year of outperforming counterparts across the Atlantic. London’s blue-chip index managed to rally to a 0.12 per cent gain in yesterday’s session closing at 9,911.42p. In the afternoon, it inched to a [...]
Shawbrook’s private equity owner eyes another £3bn IPO November 12, 2025 The private equity owner of specialist lender Shawbrook is eyeing another blockbuster listing for one of its portfolio companies, fresh reports have suggested. Pollen Street Capital is understood to be laying the groundwork for an IPO for its UK insurer Markerstudy with conversations underway with investment bankers over a listing that could value the firm [...]