Six steps entrepreneurs and family businesses should consider – if they act now. Important changes to Inheritance Tax reliefs are imminent in April for the 2026/27 tax year and beyond. A new cap on agricultural property and business reliefs will come into force that means many business owners and their families face a greater IHT bill at death, which in some cases could spell jeopardy for the firm itself.
New research has discovered as many as 79%, have little to no idea how much money they have saved to pay for their retirement, while almost three in ten (27%) don't even know who their pension provider is.
Some headlines have questioned the aviation industry’s safety record during 2025, but the reality is more nuanced. Claims remain near long term averages against a fast-growing demand for air travel. The losses at the end of 2024 offered a taste of the 2025 aviation claims year. There were several high-profile airline incidents, including one of the deadliest commercial aviation incidents in U.S. airspace since 2001. Despite the incidents in 2025, air travel remains one of the safest forms of passenger transportation.
Self-employed and higher earners need to submit their return online by 31st January. With frozen thresholds exposing more families to the High-Income Child Benefit charge, many are at risk of being caught out if they don’t submit a return. Completing a self-assessment is vital to ensure higher earners are claiming the correct pension tax relief. Standard Life answers key self-assessment questions ahead of the deadline
FTSE 100 starts day flat after another record close. Services drive better than expected UK GDPUS stock futures flat after wholesale prices muddy the inflation outlook. Brent Crude prices pull back as Trump tones down the rhetoric on Iran. TSMC: AI buildout is just getting started
The Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) publishes frequent mortality analysis for England & Wales through its mortality monitors. Today’s updates cover the period to 2 January 2026 and the quarterly monitor sets out results for the whole of 2025.
It will be one year of Trump’s second spell in the White House on 20 January 2026. Unpredictable behaviour by the president has given investors a lot to digest. Why gold, defence stocks, banks and European shares prospered. Why bitcoin, Tesla, Nike, Lululemon and Kenvue soured. The sectors that failed to live up to the Trump hype
The turn of the year invites a flurry of articles containing predictions, forecasts and “things to look out for”. Yet seasoned investors know that forecasting is, at best, an entertaining parlour game and, at worst, a distraction from sensible long-term allocation decisions. Still, it is impossible to ignore the background noise: record-high equity indices and narrow credit spreads are accompanied with ominous headlines about weak economies, asset bubbles and geopolitical fracture.
Property wealth accounts for 47%, on average, of the value of IHT-paying estates in London; 42% in the South East and East of EnglandFOI breaks down estate assets by region to show areas where property makes up the biggest proportion of IHT-paying estates
Cyber, especially ransomware attacks, ranks as the #1 risk for the fifth time in a row for companies of all sizes (42% of responses globally). Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the biggest riser and jumps from #10 to #2 (32%), highlighting the emerging risks for companies in almost all industry sectors. Geopolitical turmoil and uncertainty pushes political risks and violence to its highest-ever position at #7. Level of concern regarding cyber risk and AI higher in the UK than globally. Market developments feature in the top 10 lists for UK businesses for the first time
The basic and intermediate income tax bands in Scotland will rise 7.4%, but there will be a freeze on thresholds for higher earners in Scotland. Scotland has six income tax bands, in contrast to England, Wales and Northern Ireland where there are just three. There will be also be two new council tax bands by 2028 for properties in Scotland worth over £1 million.
Core US inflation (excl. energy and food) came in at 2.6% for December, below the 2.7% market consensus. Housing costs were a key driver, up 0.4% for December. Food and Energy costs rose 0.7% and 0.3%. Annual inflation rate is unchanged at 2.7% for December.
FTSE 100 opens flat. Whitbread shares rally on positive update.US stock futures unmoved after record close. American bank earnings in focus as Trump targets credit card rates. Brent Crude at $64 as net closes in on Iranian exports.
The Lloyd’s Market Association (LMA) has today announced its 2026 priorities, which focus on supporting and growing the Lloyd’s market’s position as a leader in global insurance. The LMA Board has outlined that its priorities for the year ahead will include underwriting, technical expertise, simplification of the market through addressing digitalisation and regulatory issues.
Responding to the UK Treasury Committee’s Financial Inclusion Strategy inquiry, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) has called for a focus on collaboration to ensure that the most vulnerable in society are provided with sufficient financial support.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to dominate boardroom conversations — not just as an enabler, but as a disruptive force that reveals who has embraced disciplined adoption and who risks falling behind, according to a new CyberCube report.
As rates soften across multiple classes, capital and risk teams are becoming increasingly involved in management decision-making and often asked to assess and quantify future risks. In our December roundtable, senior professionals from leading insurers and Lloyd’s syndicates discussed what the current cycle means for pricing discipline, capital efficiency, modelling choices, and validation practices, and how teams can respond with confidence. This article distils the most actionable takeaways.
PIC has concluded a £213 million full buy-in with the Trustees of The Siemens Healthineers Benefits Scheme (the 'Scheme') in the United Kingdom. The buy-in secures the benefits of 703 pensioners and 967 deferred members and dependants.
In this episode of CEO Perspectives, part of Mercer’s Critical Thinking series that take you inside the C-Suite for peer-to-peer conversations with leaders influencing decision making across the investment industry, Mick Dempsey, Global President of Mercer’s Investments & Retirement business, is joined by Martina Cheung, President and CEO of S&P Global. Together, they explore how economic complexity is influencing investment decision-making, from resilience and diversification to transparency across the convergence of public and private markets and the growing role of data and analytics.
New HMRC figures obtained by Rathbones show increasing tax burden on millions. Record numbers earning six figures means more will be hit by 60% marginal tax rate, with frozen thresholds until 2031 hurting more ‘HENRYs’
Almost a third (30%) of men fear a diagnosis could put their job at risk or see them judged as unreliable. Working hours stop younger men booking tests, with almost one in five (19%) aged 25–34 struggling to get short-notice time off. One in five (20%) men don’t even know if their employer has any support in place should they be diagnosed with a serious health condition
44% of insurance customers using credit rely on finance from insurers and premium finance, Premium Credit’s Insurance Index shows. Nearly six out of 10 insurance customers use some form of credit to pay one or more policies
One-year 10% cap on credit card interest rates has been proposed. Barclays down 3% with its US card business in the firing line. Buy Now, Pay Later stocks stand to benefit