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UniCredit raised profit guidance after strong results and gains from rival stakes. The Italian lender said higher income expectations for 2025 and beyond reflect earnings contributions from minority holdings in other European banks, alongside the benefit of tax credits linked to past losses.
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The UK regulator wants to reset perceptions of London market liquidity. Britain’s financial watchdog plans to publish comprehensive trading data for all London-listed shares, aiming to counter claims that the UK equity market lacks depth and activity.
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NatWest plans to reach 50,000 people through expanded financial education. The UK bank will scale its Financial Foundations programme in 2026, delivering free workplace and community-based financial education sessions through employers, local organisations, and housing groups as part of its wider UK growth strategy.
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Glencore shares fall after merger talks with Rio Tinto collapse. The mining giant rejected Rio’s terms, citing undervaluation and executive role retention. Glencore emphasises its strong standalone prospects, particularly in copper, while Rio prioritises long-term shareholder value.
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Payment Systems Regulator’s abolition expected no sooner than 2027. David Geale of the PSR anticipates the regulator’s consolidation into the FCA will not occur before early 2027, despite government plans for sector reform and deregulation.
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Bank of England keeps rates steady after a narrow Monetary Policy Committee vote. The decision highlights deepening divisions among policymakers, reassures lenders and investors, and signals that interest rate cuts remain possible later this year.
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Large enterprises overestimate payroll readiness despite automation, AI, and integration ambitions. New research from CloudPay shows budget constraints, legacy systems, and governance barriers are slowing real-world deployment across enterprise payroll operations.
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January’s US M&A opened 2026 with cash, speed, and scale. From streaming to medtech and power, buyers chased certainty and category leverage. Five headline deals, led by Netflix’s $82.7bn Warner Bros. push, signalled a market willing to pay up for assets that shorten timelines, widen moats, or lock in demand.
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Midlands angel network Minerva refocuses to connect growth-stage start-ups and investors. Marking its 30th anniversary, the University of Warwick-linked network is tightening its remit to support companies raising up to £500,000, with a renewed emphasis on hands-on angel involvement and deeper founder-investor collaboration.
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January’s UK M&A signalled confidence, but buyers stayed disciplined overall. A £7.7bn approach for Beazley set the tone, while EQT’s Coller deal and Accenture’s Faculty acquisition underscored private markets’ pull. Healthcare remained strategic, and take-private logic persisted. For leaders, readiness, clarity, and integration discipline mattered more than bravado this month.
