Financial Services UK

  • February 20, 2026

    HSF Kramer-Led Swiss Re To Buy QBE Business Segment

    Swiss Re Group said Friday its commercial insurance division has agreed to acquire the global trade credit and surety business of Australia's QBE Insurance Group, to satisfy growing demand for its risk management services.

  • February 20, 2026

    Quinn Emanuel Client Can't Block Ex-Staffer's Abusive Emails

    An appeals court rejected a bid by a Quinn Emanuel client on Friday to prevent a former employee from sending abusive messages to the firm's lawyers, saying that it could have pursued proceedings itself to stop the harassment.

  • February 19, 2026

    Payment Co. Founder Denied Relief In Whistleblower Case

    A tribunal has refused interim relief to the former owner of a payment services company, finding that his claim he was dismissed for blowing the whistle on breaches of Financial Conduct Authority regulations is not likely to succeed at this stage of the litigation.

  • February 26, 2026

    UK Finance Trade Body Hires Ex-KPMG General Counsel

    The Finance & Leasing Association said Thursday that it has recruited a former KPMG general counsel to bolster its legal and governance capability amid growing regulatory scrutiny of the sectors it represents.

  • February 19, 2026

    Ex-Commerzbank Analyst Trims Prison Time For Fake Claims

    The Court of Appeal overturned on Thursday a 20-month prison sentence for a former Commerzbank AG analyst who lied about having been sexually harassed and assaulted by a colleague.

  • February 19, 2026

    Fridman Relies On Sanctions Travel Ban To Beat $11M Claim

    Sanctioned Russian-Israeli banker Mikhail Fridman was not validly served at his London mansion with a claim in an $11 million battle over a loan notes investment because he was banned from the U.K., a London appeals court ruled Thursday. 

  • February 19, 2026

    Bank Of Ireland Fined £3.7M Over Year-Late Fraud Safeguard

    The Payment Systems Regulator revealed Thursday that it has fined Bank of Ireland UK PLC more than £3.7 million ($5 million) for missing a deadline by 14 months to put in place an account name-checking service to combat the risk of fraud.

  • February 19, 2026

    ICO Wins 'Personal Data' Appeal Over Currys Cyberattack

    A London appeals court ruled Thursday that data stolen in a cyberattack on electronics retailer Currys was personal data because Currys could identify the data subjects even if the hackers could not.

  • February 19, 2026

    FCA Chief Rathi Wants Shift Away From New Rules

    The Financial Conduct Authority will seek to make fewer new rules on the sectors it regulates, its chief executive has said, amid political pressure on the watchdog to do more to support U.K. economic growth.  

  • February 19, 2026

    EU Watchdog To Update Guidance On Inside Information

    The European Union markets watchdog proposed Thursday to simplify guidelines on delaying disclosure of inside information under the market abuse regime, in order to reduce the burden for companies listing on stock exchanges.

  • February 19, 2026

    Spread-Betting Biz Fights Order To Unwind Merger With Rival

    Sports betting company Spreadex urged the Competition Appeal Tribunal on Thursday to quash an order forcing it to sell a business it acquired in 2023, saying it was wrong to find that the merger would threaten competition.

  • February 18, 2026

    Visa, Mastercard Can't Avoid Swipe Fee Claims Pass-On

    Mastercard and Visa lost a bid on Wednesday to fend off a class action from retailers over unlawful card payment fees by arguing that the merchants didn't suffer loss because they passed on the charges.

  • February 18, 2026

    'Reckless' Pensions Bosses Lose Bid To Overturn FCA Ban

    A London tribunal has upheld a decision by the financial services regulator to ban two pensions company bosses from working in the sector after concluding that they had "recklessly" funneled savers' money into a high-risk property investment.

  • February 18, 2026

    EU Regulator Sees Risk In Simplified Sustainability Rules

    A markets watchdog called on lawmakers Wednesday to adjust proposed revisions to European sustainability reporting standards to better protect consumers and stop the risk of greenwashing.

  • February 18, 2026

    CMS, Gowling Steer £113M Pension Deal For EU Tech Firm

    European technology giant Sopra Steria Ltd. has agreed to a £113 million ($154.4 million) buy-in with Pension Insurance Corp. PLC to secure long-term retirement income for its program's 355 members, the insurer said Wednesday.

  • February 18, 2026

    Pensions Watchdog Taps Temporary Market Oversight Chief

    Britain's retirement savings watchdog said on Wednesday that it has appointed Ben Gunnee as its next interim executive director of market oversight.

  • February 18, 2026

    Taylor Wessing Steers £11M Energy Consultancy Pension Deal

    The pension plan for Noble Denton, an adviser to the oil and gas exploration industry, has agreed to a full scheme buy-in worth £11.4 million ($15.5 million), securing the retirement benefits of 106 members, an insurer broker has said.

  • February 18, 2026

    Sackers, WTW Steer £700M IBM Pension Scheme Buy-In

    The U.K. pension plan of a subsidiary of International Business Machines Corp. has completed a £700 million ($950 million) buy-in transaction, securing the retirement benefits of more than 3,600 members, Standard Life said on Wednesday.

  • February 17, 2026

    Osborne Clarke, CMS Guide £180M Tech Biz Pension Deal

    Pension insurer M&G has taken on £180 million ($243.3 million) in retirement savings liabilities from a scheme sponsored by high technology components manufacturer, in a deal guided by Osborne Clarke and CMS, an adviser on the transaction has said.

  • February 17, 2026

    Deutsche Bank, Ex-Trader Settle Over Monte Dei Paschi Case

    Deutsche Bank has settled a commercial fraud claim brought by a former trading head over his wrongful conviction for aiding false accounting and market manipulation in one of Italy's biggest financial scandals.

  • February 17, 2026

    BoE Aims To Cut Costs With New Securitization Rules

    Britain's finance watchdogs proposed on Tuesday to simplify rules on securitizations, slashing industry compliance costs and boosting international competitiveness.

  • February 17, 2026

    Fitch Predicts Rise In European Insurance M&A In 2026

    The European insurance market could see a wave of further mergers and acquisitions this year, a ratings agency said Tuesday.

  • February 17, 2026

    Ex-Investment Fund Director Denies Alleged £20M Fraud

    A former investment fund director pleaded not guilty to criminal fraud and forgery charges at a London court on Tuesday over allegations that he orchestrated a years-long fraud worth up to £20 million ($27 million).

  • February 17, 2026

    DLA Piper Steers L&G On Three Bulk Annuity Purchases

    ​Legal & General has helped secure £86 million ($117 million) of pension liabilities across a U.K. manufacturing and construction group's three retirement programs, Broadstone said Tuesday.

  • February 17, 2026

    Linklaters Steers Pensions Biz In €110M Scottish Widows Buy

    Pensions business Chesnara PLC said Tuesday that it has agreed to buy insurance policy manager Scottish Widows Europe from a subsidiary of Lloyds Banking Group PLC for €110 million ($130 million) in cash as it seeks to expand on the Continent.

Expert Analysis

  • Why NCA's 1st Seizure Of Sanctioned Funds Is Significant

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    The National Crime Agency’s recently secured forfeiture of a Russian oligarch's sanctioned funds was a landmark achievement, and is particularly notable because it was made under the Proceeds of Crime Act, illustrating how U.K. authorities can coordinate their respective powers to confiscate assets, says Lindsey Cullen at WilmerHale.

  • Takeaways From New FCA Rules On Research Payments

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    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently published final rules on payment optionality for investment research, which involve a client disclosure obligation option, will be welcome news for U.K. managers who buy investment research from U.S. brokers, and for global asset management groups, says Anna Maleva-Otto at Schulte Roth.

  • What To Expect From Labour's Pension Schemes Bill

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    The Labour government’s recently announced Pension Schemes Bill, outlining key policy areas affecting the retirement savings sector, represents a positive step forward for both defined contribution scheme members and defined benefit superfunds, but there are some missing features, says Sonya Fraser at Arc Pensions.

  • Int'l Treaties May Aid Investors Amid UK Rail Renationalization

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    The recently introduced Passenger Railway Services Bill seeks to return British railways to public ownership without compensating affected investors, a move that could trigger international investment treaty protections for obligation breaches, says Philipp Kurek at Signature Litigation.

  • What EU Opinion May Mean For ESG Product Classification

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    The recently issued European Supervisory Authority opinion on the Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation offers key recommendations, including revising the definition of sustainable investments and making principal adverse impacts consideration mandatory, that could sway the European Commission’s final approach to product classification, say lawyers at Debevoise.

  • What New UK Listing Rules Mean For Distressed Companies

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    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently published overhaul of U.K. listing rules makes it easier for advisers to restructure distressed listed companies, and in moving to a more disclosure-based approach, simplifies timelines and increases opportunities for investors, say Kate Stephenson and Sarah Ullathorne at Kirkland & Ellis.

  • AI Reforms Prompt Fintech Compliance Considerations

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    With the EU Artificial Intelligence Act's Aug. 1 enforcement, and the U.K.'s new plans to introduce AI reforms, fintech companies should consider how to best focus limited resources as they balance innovation and compliance, says Nicola Kerr-Shaw at Skadden.

  • Irish Businesses Should Act Now To Prepare For EU AI Act

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    Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming the Irish job market, and proactive engagement with the forthcoming European Union AI Act, a significant shift in the regulatory landscape for Irish businesses, will be essential for Irish businesses to responsibly harness AI’s advantages and to maintain legal compliance, say lawyers at Pinsent Masons.

  • EU Investment Fund Standards Offer Welcome Clarity

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    The European Commission’s recently published regulatory technical standards for long-term investments, which granted managers greater flexibility with respect to open-ended European long-term investment funds, should help managers active in the space navigate the mandatory liquidity requirements for long-term investment funds, say Zac Mellor-Clark and Nishkaam Paul at Fried Frank.

  • Unpacking The New Concept Of 'Trading Misfeasance'

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    In addition to granting one of the largest trading awards since the Insolvency Act was passed in 1986, the High Court recently introduced a novel claim for misfeasant trading in Wright v. Chappell, opening the door to liability for directors, even where insolvent liquidation or administration was not inevitable, say lawyers at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Key Takeaways From Proposed EU Anticorruption Directive

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    The European Commission's anticorruption proposal, on which the EU Council recently adopted a position, will substantially alter the landscape of corporate compliance and liability across the EU, so companies will need to undertake rigorous revisions of their compliance frameworks to align with the directive's demands, say lawyers at Linklaters.

  • How Regulation Of Tech Providers Is Breaking New Ground

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    The forthcoming EU regulation on digital operational resilience and the U.K. critical third-party regime, by expanding the direct application of financial services regulation to designated technology providers, represent a significant development that is not to be underestimated, say David Berman and Emily Lemaire at Covington.

  • What EU Net-Zero Act Will Mean For Tech Manufacturers

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    Martin Weitenberg at Eversheds Sutherland discusses the European Council’s recently adopted Net-Zero Industry Act and provides an overview of its main elements relevant for net-zero technology manufacturers, including benchmarks, enhanced permitting procedures and the creation of new institutions.

  • Complying With EU Commission's Joint Purchasing Rules

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    One year after the European Commission released its revised guidelines on horizontal cooperation agreements, attorneys at Crowell & Moring reflect on the various forms such agreements can take, and how parties can avoid structuring arrangements that run afoul of competition law.

  • Tips For Implementing EU Sustainability Reporting Guidance

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    Lawyers at Sullivan & Cromwell discuss the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group’s recently published guidance on double materiality assessments and offer takeaways on achieving a sustainability directive-compliant process that could enhance clarity and consistency among multinational stakeholders.

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