Britain's biggest investment brokers have been accused of pocketing savings interest earned on investors' cash and failing to pass it on to customers.
British investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown reported a 31% jump in half-year profit on Wednesday, citing savers' efforts to boost returns in the face of a crippling cost of living crisis. The company benefited from robust growth in its retail unit Active Savings as clients poured more cash into their accounts, and its net interest margin rose helped by higher interest rates. "There is uncertainty and people want to make sure they are getting value from how they are managing their cash savings," Chief Executive Officer Chris Hill told Reuters.
Investors have nearly £20bn in funds delivering investment returns far below similar rivals.