Bunq becomes first EU neobank to report annual profit after surge in users and interest rate boost April 4, 2024 Dutch mobile banking firm Bunq has become the first EU neobank to report an annual profit as it gears up to re-enter the UK market and mulls an IPO.
Mobile rivals raise competition concerns over £31bn O2-Virgin merger January 3, 2021 Rivals have hit out at the planned £31bn mega-merger between O2 and Virgin Media, warning the deal could harm competition in the UK telecoms market. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last month referred the tie-up for an in-depth investigation after the two companies asked the regulator to fast-track its probe. In the full text [...]
Competition watchdog raises concerns over £6.5bn Gumtree takeover February 16, 2021 The competition watchdog has raised concerns over the £6.5bn takeover of Gumtree by Norwegian rival Adevinta, warning it could push up prices and reduce choice for consumers. In July Adevinta struck a cash and stock deal with Ebay that would create the world’s largest online classified ads business. The merger would bring together advertising platforms [...]
Amsterdam maintains post-Brexit status as Europe’s share trading hub March 19, 2024 Amsterdam maintained its position as the heart of Europe's equity-trading business, a position it has held over London since July 2021.
CMA slaps pharma firms with £260m in fines for hiking prices for NHS July 15, 2021 The UK’s competition watchdog has slapped drug companies with fines totalling more than £260m for hiking prices for the NHS. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said prices of “life-saving” hydrocortisone tablets had risen by over 10,000 per cent. The price hike equated to the NHS being charged £80 for a single pack of tablets [...]
CMA launches probe into billionaire brothers’ takeover of Asda December 8, 2020 The UK’s competition regulator has launched its stage one probe into the billionaire Issa brothers’ takeover of supermarket Asda. Back in October the brothers, along with private equity group TDR Capital, agreed to buy the grocer from US giant Walmart for £6.8bn. At the time, Walmart said that it expected the deal to be subject [...]
Formula 1 owner Liberty revs up motorsport interest with £3bn deal for MotoGP parent Dorna April 2, 2024 F1 owner Liberty Media will takeover the motorcycle racing league MotoGP via a £3bn deal with Bridgepoint and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
CMA outlines next steps for Microsoft and Activision as firms work to clear deal July 12, 2023 Microsoft and Activsion would have to present a new revised deal to the UK’s competition authority if it is to reconsider the multi-billion pound takeover deal, the agency said today. “While the merging parties do not have the opportunity to submit new solutions once a final report has been issued, they can choose to restructure [...]
PRA hits back at claims it has been ‘captured’ by insurance sector September 13, 2023 The head of the banking and insurance regulator today rebuffed accusations that it had been "captured" by the insurance industry as it considers major reforms to the sector.
FCA to strip back red tape after conceding consumer duty ‘overlap’ July 29, 2024 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will strip back red tape from the City and “streamline” its regulatory rulebook after conceding that its stringent consumer duty rules were overlapping with swathes of existing regulation.