FTSE 100 Live: Beazley seals $15bn Zurich deal, Santander in $12bn takeover February 4, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Shares in Europe’s biggest data, publishing and legal software groups slumped on Tuesday after AI giant Anthropic unveiled a new tool aimed directly at in-house lawyers. The move rattled investors who had long viewed the sector as an AI winner. In London, Relx fell close [...]
Exclusive: Starling’s top investor withdraws support for London IPO February 4, 2026 Starling’s elusive billionaire backer has gone cold on his ambition for the digital bank to list in London, Morning Wire can reveal, in a move that will heighten fears of the fintech heading to New York for its highly-anticipated IPO. Harald McPike had lobbied for the group to launch its initial public offering in London [...]
Wealth app Chip raises £17m as Channel 4 backs TV push January 27, 2026 Channel 4 Ventures has invested in UK wealth app Chip as part of a £17m funding round, marking the company’s first institutional backing and funding a major TV advertising campaign, Morning Wire can reveal. The round values Chip at £208m and combines £6m of media-for-equity from Channel 4 Ventures, with £11m raised from more than 9,000 retail investors [...]
Monzo shareholders plotting chair coup after top boss was ousted December 17, 2025 A group of Monzo shareholders are plotting a coup to oust the chair of the fintech following the shock exit of chief executive TS Anil. The investors, which include venture capital firms Accel and Iconiq, have strapped up with lawyers as they lobby to reinstate Anil, who is set to be replaced by ex-Google executive [...]
Overseas investors return to London’s offices November 19, 2025 Real estate investment in London has risen for the second year in a row as appetite for the capital’s assets returns, according to a new report. Total investment is set to top £14bn in 2025, below the 10-year average of £18.1bn but significantly higher than in 2023 and 2024, according to a new report by [...]
MPs raise alarm as Rachel Reeves set to slash cash ISA limit October 25, 2025 Rachel Reeves has been urged to avoid slashing the cash ISA limit in the coming Autumn Budget as she looks to drive investment into the London stock market. The Chancellor is reportedly set to revive plans to cut the tax-free limit after putting previous proposals on ice after the move faced fierce backlash. The tax-free [...]
Steven Bartlett resigns from Diary of a CEO maker October 23, 2025 Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett has stepped down as a director of the company behind his Diary of a CEO podcast. The celebrity entrepreneur no longer holds the role at the London-headquartered Flight Story Group, according to a new filing with Companies House. A spokesperson for the businessman said: “Steven Bartlett is currently in the [...]
BGF: Investment giant eyeing up £500m in first external fundraise October 20, 2025 Investment giant BGF has revealed plans to raise external funds for the first time to tune of £500m. The organisation said the move would enable institutional investors the opportunity to invest in UK growth companies through BGF’s regional platform. Lazard has been appointed to advise BGF as it explores its options. BGF’s portfolio includes the likes of [...]
Governments owe $80bn in investor-state Arbitration losses October 7, 2025 Investor-state disputes have more than doubled over the last decade, with decisions against governments totalling over $250m (£186m), and governments’ debts accumulating over $80bn (£60bn). Investor-state disputes enable overseas investors to recoup some of their investment if a government breaches its investment treaty obligations. Arbitration, an out-of-court method, is the preferred system for resolving these [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown and Schroders agree investment tie-up September 8, 2025 Hargreaves Lansdown and Schroders Capital have sealed a tie-up to open up private assets opportunities to thousands more investors. The partnership will offer access to private investments, known as long-term asset funds (LTAFs), to Hargreaves Lansdown’s customers via self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs). The new style pensions will allow retail investors to invest in private assets [...]