The City of London has cemented its status as a global financial powerhouse despite stagnant UK economic growth, according to a comprehensive report by New Financial. The capital now dominates international financial activity, surpassing the combined totals of the next eight largest European hubs. This achievement defies initial concerns that Brexit would lead to a post-exitodus of well-paid City jobs.
The report assigned the UK an overall score of 54 in benchmarking market activity against the US, the world's largest financial player. This figure significantly outshines major European centres such as Germany (13), Luxembourg (9), France (9), and Ireland (5). While Wall Street banks have added around 11,000 employees to their EU operations, the total number of jobs within London's financial hub has surged from approximately 500,000 to 675,000 over the past decade, according to Office for National Statistics data.
International market activity in the UK has experienced a robust 20% growth over the past decade, outstripping the global average of 17%. This positions the UK as the single most international financial centre, with cross-border financial flows constituting 56% of its total measured financial activity. The UK edges ahead of other global hubs like Hong Kong (50%) and the US (26%).
However, this impressive international performance is contrasted with a concerning picture on the domestic front. The report reveals that domestic financial growth in the UK has been sluggish at three per cent over the same period, significantly lagging behind the global average of 18%. This stark disparity highlights a growing disconnect between the City's global appeal and its contribution to the broader British economy. New Financial cautioned that the City's dominant international role is "much more significant than its domestic role in financing the British economy," scoring a mere nine for domestic financial activity compared to its substantial international finance score.
The domestic side of the index assesses market activity tied to a single destination, such as bank lending to local businesses or funding for infrastructure projects. The report underscored that this situation is "not good news given the UK's need to boost economic growth and close its significant investment gaps." Furthermore, the UK scored poorly in funded pension assets linked to domestic growth, with only about three per cent of pension fund money invested in British stocks – a sharp decline from 50% a quarter-century ago. The broader business environment also deteriorated in 10 out of 15 metrics over the decade, with specific concerns raised about tax competitiveness and the quality of infrastructure.
New Financial highlighted that despite the City's significant international role, its domestic performance is lagging behind other European hubs such as Ireland (23) and France (21). The report stressed that addressing these issues is crucial for the UK to boost economic growth and close its investment gaps. In a concerning trend, only about three per cent of pension fund money is invested in British stocks – a sharp decline from 50% a quarter-century ago.