Derren Nathan, head of equity research, Hargreaves Lansdown: “Investors can be forgiven for feeling a little seasick after this week’s wild gyrations. However the FTSE looks set to open with a sense of optimism after UK GDP figures showed the economy grew 0.5% in February, faster than the 0.1% expected by economists. Construction, services and […]
Covering the five week 02 March – 05 April 2025 According to BRC-Sensormatic data: Total UK footfall decreased by 5.4% in March (YoY), down from 0.2% in February. High Street footfall decreased by 4.0% in March (YoY), down from 0.1% in February. Retail Park footfall decreased by 1.2% in March (YoY), down from 2.0% in February. Shopping Centre footfall decreased by 5.8% in March (YoY), down […]
The London stock market saw just new five listings in the first quarter of 2025, raising £74.7m in proceeds. Looking ahead, the UK market now faces heightened uncertainty following the US trade tariffs announcement, and IPO activity is expected to stall in the coming year. Scott McCubbin, EY UKI IPO leader, comments: “The IPO market thrives […]
Embedded finance specialist Weavr expands its capabilities by integrating B4B Payments, the globally recognised provider of card issuing and integrated payment services, into its embeddable financial solutions platform. The partnership marks a significant step in Weavr’s evolution into a multi-financial institution provider model, reinforcing its leadership in embedded finance and enhancing the choice and flexibility […]
CPA Australia’s latest Asia-Pacific (APAC) Small Business Survey 2024-25 reveals that the outlook for business growth this year for Hong Kong’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has slowed, though their hiring intentions remain strong. To combat uncertainties and rising competition, many are focusing on innovation and increasing their investment in artificial intelligence (AI).The annual survey […]
Shawbrook Bank, a UK-based specialist lender and savings provider, has renewed its senior debt facility with mcl finance. This renewal builds on a partnership that, since December 2022, has provided access to credit for over 1,000 UK SMEs. mcl finance was founded by CEO Dovi David in 2019 and has successfully scaled, with the business […]
A new player has entered the UK’s mid-market lending space. CAPEDGE has officially launched, offering loans from £500,000 to £3,000,000 to mid-sized UK businesses seeking capital for growth, acquisitions, refinancing, bridging, and other strategic initiatives. Designed specifically to meet the needs of businesses underserved by traditional banks, CAPEDGE delivers: More flexibility than banks, including higher […]
An East Renfrewshire business has seen its turnover double after accessing support and signposting to £10,000 of grant funding from Business Gateway. Founded by Saffron Grant in 2009, Setting Out for Construction is a specialist civil engineering training organisation dedicated to increasing the number of skilled engineers in the industry. Through accredited training, it supports […]
Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown: “The White House has finally seen some sense and given a whole host of countries a 90 day pause, with reciprocal tariffs immediately lowered to 10%, while isolating China in a tense battle. Was this Trump caving to pressure or his master plan all along? Who knows, but […]
Financial services firms reported slower business volumes growth in the first quarter of 2025, relative to Q4 2024, according to the latest CBI Financial Services Survey. This comes as optimism in the FS sector fell again, though at a more gradual pace than in the previous quarter. The quarterly survey, conducted between 28 February and […]
