Financial Services

Aberdeen Asian Income Fund (AAIF) has enjoyed a strong start to 2026 delivering a 28% total return on net asset value (NAV) in the six months to the end of June and producing a 30.9% total return on its share price. The fund's NAV is ahead of the 25.7% return from the MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan I

Former NatWest chairman and financial regulator Sir Howard Davies has launched a scathing attack on the UK's banking framework, claiming that post financial crisis ring-fencing was a "completely useless regulatory intervention" that has "emasculated UK investment banking." Speaking as ministers weig

JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon has warned Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey against creating a more hostile tax environment for banks. The Wall Street executive urged the UK Government to re-consider its plans to increase taxes on banks ahead of a major pre-Budget lobbying campaign

Aberdeen Investments has announced the acquisition of six modern residential properties in central Tokyo in partnership with Weave Living. The asset manager teamed up with the Asia-Pacific rental accommodation provider to expand its Japanese real estate footprint betting on the country's digital nom

SSE has "expanded its global financing strategy" by entering the Australian bond market for the first time, selling (£520m) of Green "Kangaroo" Bonds. Australian-dollar Kangaroo Bonds are issued in Australian markets by overseas firms and today’s was in two tranches: A$600m 5-year green

Baillie Gifford has highlighted a growing structural shift across global capital markets, noting that the world's most innovative technology companies are staying private for longer to capture the bulk of their value growth before listing. Lucie Majstrova, an investment specialist in Baillie Gifford

Quilter Investors has overhauled its flagship multi-asset Cirilium range after the majority of its active funds were red flagged because of underperformance over the last five years. In its latest Assessment of Value (AoV) report, all share classes across four of its five actively managed funds, Cir

Major banks, insurance companies and building societies have tightened up their inclusion policies to require staff and visitors to use single-sex spaces matching their biological sex, rather than  their gender identity, in order to comply with the Supreme Court ruling. Admiral, Coventry Buildi

The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has called on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to reform its listing rules "exposed" by activist investor Saba Capital. The AIC proposed that when a substantial shareholder seeks to take control of the management contract of an investment trust, thi

  Pepper Money has announced plans to launch its First Charge mortgage proposition in Scotland this September.

Aviva has beaten market expectations as its integration of Direct Line and general insurance division drove its operating profits for the first half of 2026 by 24%. Chief executive Dame Amanda Blanc's £3.7 billion bet on taking over motor insurer Direct Line has paid off, helped by the number

  Baillie Gifford's investment trusts could see their stakes in artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic more than double if it reaches its $2 trillion market valuation.

Aviva is trading near 52-week highs ahead of its first-half results, as all eyes are on chief executive Amanda Blanc following its multi-billion pound turnaround. Analysts are expecting profits for the first half of the year to rise by roughly 17.5% year-on-year to £1.3 billion.  A s

Seraphim Space is set to launch its own exchange-traded fund (ETF) dedicated to space technology. The asset manager registered Seraphim New Space Ucits ETF with the Central Bank of Ireland last week, it has been reported. It will launch its ETF via white-label issuer HANetf.

The Society of Pension Professionals has warned that millions risk a retirement shortfall because UK policy treats pensions and housing separately. The paper, titled Home Truths: Rethinking Retirement Wealth, highlights a critical structural mismatch in the UK economy.