Finance & Risk
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UK cyber insurance claims tripled in 2024, says trade body
UK insurers paid out at least £197 million in cyber claims last year. Cyber insurance payouts by UK insurers tripled in 2024, according to the Association of British Insurers, as attacks on companies became more frequent and costly.
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Marula Mining agrees heads of terms for sale of African battery-metals arm
Marula Mining agrees heads of terms with Europa Metals. The move would see the UK-listed battery-metals company divest its African portfolio into a newly enlarged AIM and JSE-listed group.
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US Supreme Court questions legality of Trump’s global tariffs
US justices questioned Trump’s emergency tariff powers. In a closely watched hearing, the Supreme Court appeared sceptical of claims that the president can use emergency authority to impose sweeping global tariffs, raising doubts over one of Trump’s key trade pillars.
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Position Green acquires sustainability firm Factlines
Position Green acquires Factlines to enhance sustainability platform. The acquisition aims to bolster Position Green’s comprehensive sustainability platform, integrating supply chain transparency and human rights due diligence capabilities to meet growing corporate and regulatory demands….
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Apollo acquires half of UK offshore windfarm
Apollo to acquire a 50% stake in Hornsea 3 wind farm. Global investment manager Apollo will invest $6.5 billion to acquire half of the UK’s Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm from Ørsted, enhancing its renewable energy portfolio and supporting UK energy transition….
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Denominator acquires diversity data firm Equileap
Denominator acquires Equileap to enhance human capital data offerings. The acquisition aims to create a leader in human capital data, integrating Equileap’s gender equality metrics with Denominator’s comprehensive database, serving major global asset managers….
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One in three SME loans tied to personal assets
One in three SME loans now puts directors’ homes at risk. New data from Purbeck Insurance Services reveals a sharp rise in personal guarantee-backed borrowing among UK business owners, prompting fresh warnings over financial exposure and calls for government clarity ahead of the next fiscal statement.
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UK M&A deals of the week: 31 October 2025
This week’s UK M&A landscape was defined by transatlantic ambition and inward investment. From Barclays’ move into US consumer finance to Corpay’s £1.8 billion takeover of Alpha Group, deals reflected the UK’s twin identity as acquirer abroad and target at home. Technology, finance, and industrial consolidation led the activity.
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U.S. weekly jobless claims fall to 219,000 amid signs of labour-market steadiness
US initial jobless claims fell to 219,000 this week, easing slightly. The decline suggests the labour market remains resilient amid uncertainty over growth and Federal Reserve policy, though economists caution that underlying hiring momentum remains subdued and structural pressures may be building across key sectors.
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Barclays sees no further ECB rate cuts before end-2026 after policy decision
Barclays now expects the ECB to hold rates through the end of 2026. The bank revised its earlier forecast of a December 2025 cut following the ECB’s decision to maintain its key rate at 2%. The move underlines the central bank’s view that policy is “in a good place”.