Law360, London: The UK financial regulator urged Britain's highest court on 3 April 2025 to deliver its decision on motor finance commissions 'as soon as possible' so that hundreds of thousands of open complaints can be dealt with in an 'orderly, consistent and efficient way'.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a new episode of its Inside FCA podcast in which the FCA’s director of market oversight, Clare Cole, and chair of the Listing Authority Advisory Panel, Mark Austin, discuss the FCA’s proposals to improve the rules on listing commercial companies' equity shares in the UK. The proposals are part of the FCA’s work to strengthen the UK’s position as a global and financial centre and facilitate sustainable growth of the UK economy.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published policy statement PS26/16, finalising amendments to its COBS 11A rules on information flows during UK equity IPOs. With immediate effect, firms no longer need to observe the one-day / seven-day waiting period between the publication of an approved prospectus or registration document and publishing connected research, and are no longer required to share the same information with unconnected analysts as with their own research analysts. In July 2018, the FCA had introduced rules designed to improve the quality and availability of information during the equity IPO process but concluded that this had failed to encourage independent research. Instead the rules had added unnecessary execution risk and costs for issuers without demonstrable benefits, placing the UK at a competitive disadvantage relative to other international listing venues. Firms and issuers may still choose to engage with unconnected analysts, but this is no longer mandated.

Financial Services analysis: In a decision with significant implications for financial services firms, the Court of Appeal allowed the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) appeal, addressing in its judgment the scope of the Upper Tribunal’s jurisdiction in financial services claims and the extent of the FCA’s Own Initiative Requirement (OIREQ) powers to impose redress requirements on individual firms. The court held that the FCA’s power to impose a redress requirement pursuant to section 55L of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000) is not subject to any of the four statutory conditions contained in FSMA 2000, s 404, and that the FCA’s OIREQ powers give the FCA a broad general power to impose a redress scheme on a single firm. The court also found that the Upper Tribunal had erred in deciding that it had no jurisdiction to allow the FCA to amend its statement of case, adopting a broad interpretation of what may be encompassed in the ‘matter’ before the Upper Tribunal. Written by Lucy Tolond, partner and Karina Jones, associate at DWF.

This Practice Note provides information on the powers of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), found in Part 18A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000) and the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Recognition Requirements for Investment Exchanges and Clearing Houses) Regulations 2001, SI 2001/995, (the Recognition Requirements Regulations) to suspend or remove financial instruments from trading, as well as related provisions of the FCA Handbook. Background and definitions Part 18A of FSMA 2000 gives the FCA the power to remove or suspend financial instruments from trading, while the Recognition Requirements Regulations sets out requirements for the suspension and removal of financial instruments from trading by a UK recognised investment exchange (RIE). The FCA’s rules for the suspension and removal of financial instruments from trading on UK trading venues operated by UK RIEs are set out in the Recognised Investment Exchange and Recognised Clearing House sourcebook (REC) in the FCA Handbook. The FCA’s rules for the suspension and removal of financial instruments from trading on a UK multilateral trading facility

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a speech by its executive director of enforcement and market oversight, Steve Smart, in which he said the FCA is ready to take on anti-money laundering (AML) supervision of the legal and accounting sectors. Smart noted that fraud accounted for nearly half of all crime in England and Wales in 2025, and estimates suggest that over £100 billion is laundered through or within the UK each year. He said the FCA plans to take an intelligence-led approach to detect, disrupt and prevent professional enablers of financial crime.

Law360, London: The scandal-hit London insurance market has drawn up a training programme for staff after pressure from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a group of trade bodies said.

Pensions analysis: The Financial Conduct Authorities (FCA’s) Pensions Regulatory Priorities report, published on 10 March 2026, explains what FCA-regulated pension firms should focus on during 2026 and how the FCA will direct its supervision and policy work. Its main priorities are improving value for money (VFM) in defined contribution (DC) pension schemes, strengthening consumer support including through the targeted support regime, enabling growth and innovation with appropriate risk controls, and modernising pensions by addressing barriers in the pensions market as well as enhancing small self-administered pension scheme (SIPP) regulation.

Law360: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) executives told MPs at a parliamentary hearing on the 'Sexism and the City' inquiry on 17 January 2024 that the regulator has started an investigation into how banks and insurers deal with non-financial misconduct, amid evidence that firms are not acting against known offenders.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has commenced proceedings in the High Court against London Property Investments (U.K) Limited (LPI), NPI Holdings Limited (NPI), Daniel Stevens (the sole director and shareholder of both companies) and his father Anthony Kafetzis.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has banned director Matthew Creed from performing any regulated activity carried on by an authorised person, exempt person or exempt professional firm. The prohibition follows the FCA’s investigation which determined that Creed lacks honesty and integrity having failed to inform the FCA of his bankruptcy, disqualification as a company director and the fact he was under criminal investigation; he was later convicted for dishonesty offences. As a result, the FCA found that Creed lacks the necessary fitness and propriety to perform a regulated activity.

Law360, Expert analysis: The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) overhauled its rules for firms promoting high-risk investments to retail clients in August 2022, with the changes coming into effect in phases on 1 December 2022, and 1 February 2023. With a focus on how the rules are bedding down, the FCA revealed the results of its second review into firms' compliance with the rules in a statement issued on 27 September 2023, 'Financial Promotions for high-risk investments'. Written by Marina Reason, partner, and Chris Hurn, senior associate at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP.