Barclays reverses branch cuts as bank managers return to high street April 4, 2026 Barclays is planning to expand its high street presence and revive the “bank manager” role after years of rapid branch closures. The bank’s UK chief executive Vim Maru told the Times on Saturday that Barclays would increase its branch network beyond its current 206 sites, having already paused a programme that saw it shut around [...]
NatWest nears £2.5bn Evelyn Partners takeover February 7, 2026 NatWest Group is closing in on a £2.5bn takeover of Evelyn Partners, in what would be its biggest corporate acquisition since the bank’s taxpayer bailout in 2008. NatWest Group is in advanced talks to buy the wealth manager from its private equity owners, Sky News reported on Saturday, after seeing off competition from Barclays in recent days. An announcement [...]
UK bank ramps up fight for savers after rebrand January 22, 2026 The battle to bank Britain’s savers has ramped up with the arrival of a new name, set to challenge ‘easy access’ incumbents such as JP Morgan’s Chase, Goldman Sachs’ Marcus and fintechs like Oaknorth. The former UK arm of Jamaica National Group, previously dubbed JN Bank UK, has revamped its operations after being sold in [...]
Basel 3.1: New rules will make UK banking more resilient January 20, 2026 The implementation of Basel rules in the UK, published today,marks a major step forward for the banking sector, writes David Bailey.
UBS scouting for new top boss with Sergio Ermotti to exit next year January 13, 2026 UBS Group is on the hunt for a new chief executive with the banking giant’s current top boss lined up for an exit next year. Sergio Ermotti, who has led the near-£112bn bank since he was rehired in 2023, is expected to depart in April 2027. The veteran financier had pledged to lead UBS “at [...]
Starling revs up Engine with City hiring spree December 16, 2025 Starling is motoring into 2026 with its foot firmly on the pedal, injecting a fresh pump of gas into the group’s technology arm. The UK fintech veteran is planning to shift its software-as-a-service (Saas) banking platform into top gear with a major hiring spree across London. The platform, known as Engine, is a subsidiary of [...]
How Natwest, Lloyds, Barclays and HSBC fired up the FTSE 100 in 2025 December 9, 2025 If 2025 was supposed to be the year of the AI bubble, nobody told Britain’s banking giants. Amidst the noise of the US tech boom, the UK’s FTSE 100 banking heavyweights, Natwest, Lloyds, Barclays, and HSBC, have staged a formidable, if understated, rally. Lloyds delivered an astonishing 75.8 per cent gain, while Barclays surged 65 [...]
Budget whiplash: How bank shares were hit by the Treasury’s ‘hokey cokey’ leaking November 25, 2025 Last week the House of Commons speaker reprimanded the Treasury for what he called a “hokey cokey” Budget. “Can I just say it isn’t normal for a Budget to be put in the press,” Sir Lindsay Hoyle said in his dressing down of ministers. “One minute it’s in, next minute it’s out.” Few sectors have [...]
Forget the naysayers, banks are still committed to climate action November 18, 2025 Headlines have decried the end of green finance, yet the vast majority of institutions remain committed to climate action, writes Bob Wigley.
£100k earners have become Britain’s invisible middle class November 14, 2025 Six-figure earners are now Britain's invisible middle class, but they're an afterthought when it comes to banks, writes Ziad Mabsout.