‘We do not accept the FCA’s characterisation’: Neil Woodford firm responds to watchdog Investing Former star fund manager Neil Woodford’s comeback venture has hit back at the UK financial watchdog, arguing it ‘does not accept’ the regulator’s characterisation of the business after the FCA launched civil proceedings. W Four Point Zero FZE, which trades as W4.0 and is registered in the United Arab Emirates, rebuffed the Financial Conduct Authority’s [...]
Partners Group suffers surge in withdrawal requests and braces to cap more funds Investing Partners Group warned that its flagship private equity fund had been hit by a flurry of requests from wealthy investors, raising concerns the Swiss firm would have to cap withdrawals, a day after doing so on a major European fund. Redemption requests at its $16bn private equity master fund reached roughly six per cent of [...]
Stockbroker boom down under boosts CMC Markets share price Investing CMC Markets shares rocketed in early trading after a rise in stockbroking activity in Australia coupled with its expanding institutional business partnerships boosted profits. Shares soared 12.7 per cent to 415p, with shares up 37.1 per cent since the start of the year. The trading platform operator recorded a 20 per cent hike in profit [...]
Investec shares rise amid takeover speculation June 3, 2026 Investec shares jumped in early Wednesday trading after the South African financial giant became subject to takeover speculation. Shares rose as much as 4.6 per cent before settling at 1.4 per cent, trading at 669.5p, following reports from M&A blog site Betaville that the bank may have attracted takeover interest, with it citing “people following [...]
Universal Music rejects Bill Ackman’s $65bn takeover bid May 30, 2026 Universal Music’s board has rejected billionaire Bill Ackman’s takeover proposal, arguing it “materially undervalues” the company and is ultimately not in the best interest of shareholders or artists. The company’s board unanimously rejected the $65bn (£48.3bn) proposal from Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital on Friday, as it offered to buy the world’s largest record company last [...]
Ask the expert: Should I invest instead of buying a home? May 28, 2026 Fidelity personal financial specialist Marianna Hunt is back on hand to answer your burning questions, and today a reader wants to know whether to take the plunge and buy a property or invest. Q. I’m in my late 20s and have managed to save around £20,000, which I initially thought I’duse as a deposit to [...]
Millions of Brits face retirement ‘cliff-edge’ after not saving enough May 19, 2026 Millions of Brits are not saving enough to retire, leaving them facing a significant ‘cliff-edge’ upon leaving the workforce, a government-backed report has warned. The Pensions Commission, which was revitalised by the government to address the savings shortfall across the UK, said 15m people are not currently saving enough for retirement. The group warned this [...]
UK Private Capital raises alarm over ‘slow and unclear’ progress from Mansion House signatories May 19, 2026 A leading private capital trade body has raised the alarm over the lack of urgency from Mansion House signatories to meet their commitments and increase allocations into venture capital. UK Private Capital, which was previously known as the British Venture Capital Association, has called on signatories to work faster, after uncovering limited evidence of any [...]
ETF demand surges and cash appetite grows amid Iran conflict May 18, 2026 Demand for ETFs has surged in the first quarter of the financial year as investors look to further diversify their portfolios to avoid market concentration and the fallout of the Iran war, with some increasing their cash holdings. The average exchange traded-funds (ETFs) holding has doubled in the past five years, increasing from six per [...]
Platinum prices soar amid supply deficit and AI demand May 18, 2026 Platinum group metals saw significant price gains over the course of 2025, after tightening physical supplies and increasing retail and institutional investor interest hiked costs. Platinum’s average price rocketed 33 per cent last year, hitting $1,280 (£985.5) per ounce, up from $960 the prior year, according to the latest report from Metals Focus. The price [...]