The UK faces a sharper decline in hiring compared to other economies, raising concerns about its job market. Vanguard is restructuring to boost its advisory services amid growing competition, while Japan is ambitiously trying to become a semiconductor power with its new Rapidus initiative. Tensions rise in the Middle East as Israel expands its territory, provoking a strong reaction from Egypt. Additionally, the evolving landscape of financial services highlights a competitive rivalry between Vanguard and Robinhood.
The UK is facing a significant hiring decline due to slow economic growth and increased employment taxes, impacting recruitment efforts.
Vanguard's restructuring of its wealth management services aims to enhance client relationships and compete against banks and fintechs.
Deep dives
Declining Job Market in the UK
The UK is experiencing a significant decline in job postings, with numbers dropping nearly 25% compared to last year. This decrease outpaces declines seen in other major economies such as the U.S., Germany, and Australia. Factors contributing to this trend include slow economic growth, rising wages, and increased employment taxes introduced by the labor government. These elements are creating a challenging environment for recruiters, further complicating the hiring landscape in the UK.
Vanguard's Shift to Advisory Services
Vanguard, the second largest asset manager globally, is undergoing a major restructuring of its $900 billion wealth and advice business to enhance its advisory services. The company has divided its customer base into three distinct groups, separating those who receive direct advice from Vanguard from those getting support through external advisors or 401(k) plans. This move responds to increasing competition in the investment landscape, particularly from banks and fintechs that are capturing market share with wealth management services. Vanguard aims to 'democratize advice' and maintain strong client relationships as consumer demand for investment guidance grows.
Japan's Ambitious Semiconductor Initiative
Japan is investing heavily in revitalizing its semiconductor industry through a new company called Rapidus, which aims to bring cutting-edge chip technology back to the country. Rapidus is focused on developing two-nanometer chips and has garnered significant financial backing from the government and leading Japanese corporations. The initiative seeks to challenge established players like TSMC by offering customizable chip production to meet the demands of AI companies and other sectors. However, the success of this ambitious plan is uncertain, as achieving competitive scale in chip production has historically proven difficult for new entrants.
Hiring has fallen more sharply in the UK than in other big economies over the past year, Vanguard will break its advisory business into a separate unit, and Israel has taken more Syrian territory. Plus, we take a look inside Japan’s audacious bid to become a semiconductor superpower.
The FT News Briefing is produced by Niamh Rowe, Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Josh Gabert-Doyon, Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Joseph Salcedo. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.