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Monday newspaper round-up: Companies House, supermarkets, UK economy

(Sharecast News) - The UK government agency responsible for overseeing a national register of companies has collected just £1,250 in fines after being given new powers to crack down on corruption, it has emerged. Companies House is implementing a series of reforms, amid embarrassing revelations about fraudsters and jokers signing up to the corporate register with names such as "Darth Vader" and "Santa Claus". - Guardian The former chief executive of Metro Bank says he has been made "untouchable", advised to move to Australia and even had trouble opening bank accounts after the UK regulator accused him of misleading investors over a £900m accounting blunder. Craig Donaldson, who resigned in 2019, told the upper tribunal in London that both his career and personal finances had suffered as a result of the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) 2022 ruling. - Guardian

Donald Trump's finance chief has rejected fears of a US recession despite the president's trade war sparking a $6 trillion (£4.7 trillion) stock market collapse. Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary, said on Sunday there was "no reason" to expect a downturn in America, claiming that the economy will remain buoyant thanks to strong job numbers, low borrowing rates and falling oil prices. That is despite mounting fears over Mr Trump's tariffs, which have upended global trade and rattled global stock markets. - Telegraph

Britain's biggest supermarkets are poised to win fresh powers to open more stores in areas dominated by Aldi and Lidl as officials consider slapping new restrictions on the German discounters. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK's monopoly regulator, is understood to be reviewing the rules that restrict major supermarkets from blocking their rivals from opening stores nearby. - Telegraph

The UK economy faces a "material hit" from President Trump's tariffs, which threaten to rupture global trade, amplifying the risk of further tax rises and spending cuts by Rachel Reeves, forecasters said on Monday. Growth is on track to slow to just 0.8 per cent this year and next, according to researchers at the consultancy KPMG, as Trump's shift towards a protectionist trade policy "undermines" the UK economy. KPMG previously thought that the economy would expand by 1.7 per cent this year and 1.4 per cent next year, compared with 1.1 per cent in 2024. - The Times

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Thursday newspaper round-up: Liberty Steel, HSBC, NMC
(Sharecast News) - Liberty Steel has produced nothing at two of its key UK plants since July, in a sign of the deep financial difficulties for Britain's third-biggest steelmaker as it looks for rescue funding. The plants at Rotherham in South Yorkshire and Motherwell in Scotland have not produced any steel for about nine months because of a lack of funds to buy vital materials, with staff on furlough on 85% of their salaries for the duration, according to workers who spoke to the Guardian. - Guardian
Wednesday newspaper round-up: Thames Water, Anglian Water, Telegraph, Greenergy
(Sharecast News) - Two of Britain's biggest water companies, Thames Water and Anglian Water, face more than 50 criminal investigations between them as part of a crackdown on sewage dumping, the government has said. The utilities were subject to the bulk of a record 81 investigations into water companies between last July's general election and March 2025, according to new data. - Guardian
Tuesday newspaper round-up: Post Office, factories, ISAs
(Sharecast News) - Hundreds of former sub-postmasters will reportedly be compensated by the Post Office after it accidentally leaked their names and addresses in June 2024. According to the BBC, the Post Office has confirmed that individual payouts will be capped at £5,000 although higher claims may still be pursued. It comes almost a year after 555 victims of the Horizon IT scandal had their personal details published on a website. - Guardian
Monday newspaper round-up: Santander UK, Thames Water, Oxford Quantum Circuits
(Sharecast News) - Santander UK is freezing salaries, slashing bonuses and cutting jobs across its commercial banking arm as part of a wider shake-up that could help make the bank more attractive to potential buyers. The bank began unexpectedly changing bankers' job titles and shuffling staff into new teams earlier this month amid a larger review of the Spanish lender's UK business, where there is mounting frustration over regulations and costs. - Guardian

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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