Finance & Risk
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Apax Global Alpha taken private in €916.5m deal. The London-listed trust has been acquired by Janus Bidco Limited, backed by Apax Partners and Ares Management, with shareholders to receive €1.90 per share in cash as the company delists from the London Stock Exchange.
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The Federal Reserve cut rates by a quarter point. The move, its first reduction since December 2024, reflects growing concern about a cooling labour market. Policymakers signalled at least two more cuts this year, while a dissent from Governor Stephen Miran underscored political tension within the central bank.
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The Bank of England is set to slow quantitative tightening. Policymakers are expected to cut gilt sales from £100 billion to £67.5 billion a year, leaving rates unchanged at 4 per cent as they balance inflation control with concerns over bond market volatility.
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Lloyds Banking Group has signed a new multi-year deal with Broadcom. The agreement expands its use of VMware Cloud Foundation and mainframe software to modernise private cloud and strengthen digital banking services for millions of customers.
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UK inflation rate stayed at 3.8 per cent in August. Headline consumer prices were unchanged from July, while housing and food costs remained elevated, leaving the Bank of England under pressure as it weighs its next decision on interest rates.
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SEON secures $80m Series C funding led by Sixth Street. The AI-driven fraud prevention platform, based in Budapest and Austin, serves clients like Revolut and Spotify. It aims to enhance fraud detection and compliance amidst rising regulatory pressures.
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HMRC loses £836m to tax loophole abuse, exceeding estimates. The practice of ‘phoenixing’ has significantly impacted HMRC’s ability to collect taxes, with losses reaching £836m in the 2022-23 tax year, surpassing previous estimates by 45 per cent.
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This week’s UK M&A activity spanned mining, housing, marketing, legal services, and reinsurance. From a $50 billion copper mega-merger to digital-first disruption of property law, the deals illustrate the UK’s role as a stage for global capital and strategic sector reshaping.
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US consumer prices rose at their fastest annual pace since January. The increase complicates the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision on interest rates, as labour market indicators show weakness. Investors widely expect a rate cut next week, but rising inflation may limit the scale or speed of any adjustment.
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The UK economy registered absolutely zero growth in July 2025. The stagnation follows a stronger June and leaves the government under pressure to deliver credible pro-growth measures in its November Budget. Inflation concerns and global headwinds continue to weigh on the outlook.