Markets
The events affecting diversified, long-term portfolios, not minute-by-minute price noise.
Apolifina newsroom
News, minus the noise.
The developments that could affect your money, explained clearly and without the market drama.
UK economy
UK inflation rises to 3.5% in September
UK CPI inflation rose to 3.5% in September from 3.1% in August. The ONS identifies motor fuels as the main upward influence on the change.
Public financesUK public debt passes £3tn as September borrowing reaches £24.5bn
ONS provisionally estimates public debt at £3,005bn and September borrowing at £24.5bn. Debt relative to GDP tells a different part of the story.
Energy policyJackdaw production gets ministerial go-ahead as government announces Energy Wealth Fund
The government says the regulator can grant Jackdaw production consent and announces an initial £2bn Energy Wealth Fund commitment. Neither is an investor return guarantee.
HousingUK rent inflation holds at 3.8% as house-price growth slows
ONS estimates show rents rising 3.8% over the year to September and house prices up 0.9% to August. The measures cover different months and costs.
CompaniesInteractive investor inflows rise while Aberdeen reports group net outflows
Interactive investor attracted £2.5bn of Q3 net inflows, but Aberdeen's group total was a £0.3bn net outflow. The segment and group figures tell different stories.
UK economyUK unemployment estimated at 4.7% as vacancies fall to 691,000
ONS estimates show a small fall in unemployment alongside fewer vacancies. Different reference periods and survey uncertainty matter.
CompaniesGenuit forecasts £84m operating profit as heating demand weakens
Genuit expects about £84m of underlying operating profit, below the analyst range it cites. Nine-month like-for-like revenue fell 4.3%.
CompaniesAnglo American copper output falls 5% as Chile weather disrupts production
Anglo American reports lower third-quarter copper output while retaining its annual production range. De Beers guidance changes partly reflect ownership.
CompaniesSabre premiums rise 14.3% as insurer maintains full-year profit outlook
Sabre reports £173.4m of nine-month gross written premiums and keeps its profit outlook. Premium income is not the same as profit.
Customer explainerJarvis administration: what clients need to know about access and claims
Jarvis entered special administration on 14 October. A dated guide to access restrictions, administrator updates and the unresolved FSCS position.
Financial regulationFCA sets out AI good practice for financial firms
The FCA's new AI examples focus on consumer outcomes, accountable decision-making and resilience. A speech also addresses general-purpose AI tools.
Company trading updateVolex expects at least $710m revenue as profit outlook strengthens
Volex expects at least $710m of first-half revenue and profit near the top of expectations. Some customer deliveries were brought forward.
Company trading updateLondonMetric rental income rises as acquisitions expand its portfolio
LondonMetric reports rental income growth above 8%, supported by acquisitions and leasing. Organic and annualised measures need separate interpretation.
Company trading updateITM Power revenue rises 68% but the business remains loss-making
ITM Power reports £43.6m annual revenue and a smaller adjusted EBITDA loss. Cash and future guidance need separate interpretation.
Consumer protectionePayments enters special administration: what customers need to know
ePayments Systems entered special administration on 15 October. The FCA explains the claims process and why safeguarding differs from FSCS protection.
Consumer protectionFCA questions overnight charges at CFD firms
The FCA remains concerned about CFD overnight funding charges and how firms explain them, following its survey of providers.
UK competition policyCMA proposes closer oversight of Microsoft's business software
The CMA proposes strategic market status for Microsoft's business software ecosystem. Consultation precedes a final decision and any future interventions.
UK economyUK GDP grows 0.1% in August as services stall
UK output rose 0.1% in August, with production growth offsetting weaker construction while services were flat. Three-month GDP growth was 0.7%.
Company trading updateTravis Perkins volumes fall 7.2% as building demand stays weak
Travis Perkins reports a 7.2% fall in like-for-like volumes in Q3. Price and mix partly offset the decline, while Toolstation UK grew.
Company trading updateDunelm sales rise but first-half profit is expected to fall
Dunelm's Q1 sales rose 1.1% to £433m. Full-year adjusted profit expectations are unchanged, but first-half profit is expected to be lower.
Company trading updateJupiter attracts £700m as assets reach £75.9bn
Jupiter reports £700m of Q3 net inflows and assets under management of £75.9bn. Market returns also contributed to the rise.
Company trading updateMondi's higher reported earnings mask weaker underlying comparison
Mondi's Q3 underlying EBITDA rose to €196m, but was lower than Q2 after removing forestry fair-value effects. Energy costs remain a pressure.
Mortgage policy explainerExplainer: regulators change how the high-income-multiple mortgage limit operates
Final mortgage policy removes the individual-lender high-LTI cap while retaining an aggregate constraint. The changes take effect on 28 October.
Company resultsJames Halstead proposes higher dividend as annual profit falls
James Halstead proposes a higher annual dividend despite lower pretax profit. Its results also show a stronger year-end cash balance.
Company trading updateCirata reports no new-customer contracts in third-quarter update
Cirata reports no new-customer contracts in Q3 and reiterates its outlook. Billings, cash and contract metrics require separate interpretation.
Consumer financeMotor finance challenge hearing set for February 2027
The FCA confirms February hearing dates for the motor finance compensation challenge. Payments remain uncertain while the legal process continues.
Company resultsBellway plans £150m buyback but targets fewer completions
Bellway announces a £150m FY2027 buyback plan after annual growth, while targeting fewer home completions and warning of margin pressure.
Company resultsWhitbread profit falls despite higher hotel sales
Whitbread reports lower first-half profit despite rising accommodation sales. Restructuring charges separate statutory and adjusted earnings.
Company trading updateGreencore raises UK profit forecast to about £248m
Greencore raises its FY2026 UK adjusted operating profit forecast to about £248m, as food volumes grow and Bakkavor integration continues.
Company trading updateTransact assets reach £86.5bn as annual net inflows ease
IntegraFin reports Transact assets of £86.5bn, with annual net inflows lower than last year. Asset growth is not the same as investor returns.
Company trading updateHays fees fall 3% as permanent recruitment remains weaker
Hays reports lower recruitment fees, with permanent hiring weaker than temporary work. What the update does—and does not—tell UK investors.
Company trading updateSSP announces £50m buyback but expects operating profit below plan
SSP announces a £50m buyback and maintains its earnings forecast, but operating profit and cash flow are expected to be below plan.
Company trading updateOxford Metrics warns of adjusted operating loss and announces £3m buyback
Oxford Metrics forecasts an adjusted operating loss for FY2026, announces a £3m buyback and buys Move AI assets for its Vicon business.
Company resultsTesco increases buyback to £950m as first-half profits rise
Tesco increases its buyback from £750m to £950m, raises its interim dividend and narrows its full-year profit forecast towards the upper end.
Household creditLenders report tighter household credit and rising unsecured-loan defaults
The Bank of England’s Q3 survey reports reduced household credit availability and rising unsecured-loan defaults, with important timing limits.
UK business costsEnergy-price concerns reach 72% of UK businesses in ONS survey
ONS survey finds widespread concern about energy and fuel prices. These are business sentiment measures, not a new inflation reading.
Company trading updateImperial Brands announces £1.5bn buyback and maintains full-year guidance
Imperial Brands announces a £1.5bn FY2027 buyback after completing its previous programme. Its full-year earnings remain to be reported.
Financial stabilityBailey warns of debt-market and AI risks despite financial resilience
Andrew Bailey identifies sovereign-debt, leveraged-market and AI exposures as risks. His speech is not a new interest-rate decision.
Company trading updateUnite maintains earnings guidance as student-property fund values fall
Unite reports 95.6% of beds sold and retains earnings guidance, while quarterly property values fall in two student-accommodation funds.
Fund access and regulationFCA proposes 90-day withdrawal notice for certain illiquid-asset funds
FCA proposes minimum withdrawal notice for certain illiquid-asset funds. What could change, which funds are affected and why timing matters.
Company earnings and dividendsBridgepoint lifts earnings outlook and plans 15p annual dividend
Bridgepoint raises its earnings outlook and plans a 15p annual dividend. Private-asset valuations and future cash receipts remain important uncertainties.
UK government bondsUK appoints six banks for first digitally native government bond
DIGIT is moving towards issuance by Q1 2027, but its size, pricing and investor eligibility remain undisclosed.
UK household financesUK median household income rises 3.5% to £39,200
Real incomes increased across the distribution, although a smaller survey sample makes some detailed estimates less certain.
UK business expectationsUK firms still expect 3.1% inflation as wage growth is forecast to slow
Business inflation expectations were unchanged, wage growth is expected to ease and 70% of firms anticipate lower margins.
Company trading updateIG Group expects quarterly revenue to fall 14% as trading conditions weaken
Strong customer growth was offset by weaker OTC revenue retention as IG reduced its 2026 revenue expectation.
UK consumer taxNew UK vaping duty adds £2.20 per 10ml as tax stamps begin
A new excise duty now applies to UK vaping liquid, although the eventual retail-price effect remains uncertain.
UK workplace pensionsUK workplace pension assets diverge as defined-benefit schemes fall 4%
New ONS figures show contrasting asset movements, but not individual returns or complete scheme funding positions.
UK crypto regulationFCA opens crypto authorisation gateway, but new protections wait until 2027
UK crypto firms can now apply for full FCA authorisation, but applying is not approval and the new regime does not begin until October 2027.
UK industrial policyUK procurement shift puts utilities, shipbuilding and outsourcers in focus
The government wants more spending by utilities and public bodies to support UK jobs and industrial capacity, but the commercial effect remains uncertain.
Investor protectionITI Capital enters special administration: what customers need to know
The FCA-authorised broker is now controlled by special administrators, who will assess client money and investments.
Financial crimeBanks closed 238,396 suspected money-mule accounts in 2025
New FCA research shows how suspected mule accounts are being closed and how criminal funds move through chains of accounts.
UK public financesUK borrowing reaches £18.3bn in August and exceeds OBR forecast
August borrowing rose above last year and the official forecast, while financial-year borrowing remained slightly lower than a year earlier.
Investor protectionFCA takes Hunter Jones to High Court over alleged unauthorised loan-note activity
The regulator is seeking to stop the alleged activity and require investor money to be returned, but the claim has not been determined.
UK consumer spendingUK retail sales rise 0.5% as online and department-store spending recovers
Retail volumes recovered in August, but weaker fuel sales and volatile monthly data complicate the picture.
UK interest ratesBank Rate held at 3.75% as three MPC members vote for an increase
The unchanged rate came with a hawkish warning as the Bank raised its near-term inflation projection.
UK inflationUK inflation rises to 3.1% as motor-fuel prices push the headline rate higher
Transport and motor fuels lifted headline inflation, while core and services rates remained unchanged.
UK economyUK labour market softens as payroll employment and vacancies fall
Payroll employment fell again in August, but unemployment was broadly unchanged over the latest quarter.
UK economyUK economy grew 0.4% in July as services led a broad monthly rise
Output rose across services, production and construction, although the three-month picture remained uneven.
UK mortgagesHigh loan-to-value mortgage lending reaches highest share since 2008
Higher loan-to-value lending increased while outstanding mortgage balances in arrears declined.
Company resultsStandard Life operating profit rises 25% as assets reach £333bn
Stronger operating results and a higher dividend came alongside a £179 million statutory loss after tax.
Scam warningFCA warns investors about Flagstone Investment Management clone firm
Fraudsters are copying details associated with genuine authorised Flagstone businesses.
UK technologyUK launches £100 million competition to back British AI companies
Four public-sector AI competitions have opened under a new government procurement scheme.
Investor researchFour in five younger investors have used AI for investment help
New FCA research reveals widespread AI use and potentially serious misunderstandings about investor protection.
Investor protectionEGR Wealth enters administration: what customers need to know
The FSCS has opened its claims service while it investigates whether claims qualify for compensation.
UK inflationUK inflation rises to 2.9% as household energy costs increase
Headline inflation moved further above target, but an unchanged core rate makes the picture more nuanced.
Investor protectionFCA warns investors over mini-bonds promising high fixed returns
Unregulated loan notes can expose investors to total losses while offering little or no access to regulatory compensation.
UK economyBank Rate stays at 3.75%: what the split vote means for UK investors
The decision revealed increasing concern about renewed inflationary pressure and less certainty that lower rates will arrive soon.
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What we follow
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UK economy
Explore our inflation and interest-rate briefing, with Bank of England decisions and official economic data.
Investor products
Material changes to ISAs, pensions, funds and investment platforms.